In the End
by Confureku
Summary: A girl is pulled into LotR, but it's not what you think. There is something different about this one. She is mute. How will she be able to communicate with everyone? How will she survive everything that happens? FINISHED!!!
1. Too late

Prologue  
  
"NO!"  
  
"I don't care!" The young woman ran off into the woods, quickly disappearing behind the thick foliage. The flaxen haired man sighed and turned away, walking in the opposite direction from where the woman had run. He stopped and turned back, his eyes filled with worry for her. It was dangerous in the forest, but she was strong and could take care of herself. Still, he had a bad feeling. He brushed it aside and continued to walk. He was too angry to care at the moment.  
  
The woman stopped running and turned to look behind her. Her eyes were filled with sorrow, she was filled with an immense sadness for a reason she did not know. It wasn't because they had gotten into a fight....It was something else.. She turned back around and began to walk through the woods.  
  
The man stopped. He just had a very bad feeling, for a reason unknown he felt like crying. A tear slowly slipped down his cheek. He turned around and began to run towards the woman. He ran quickly, the trees flying by him. He couldn't find her. He called out her name frantically but there was no reply. He ran faster, intent on finding her before anything could happen. Running into a clearing, he froze. Tears welling up in his eyes and then spilling over his lids. It couldn't be. He refused to believe it. It was not possible.  
  
He slowly began to walk towards the form, his feet touching the ground tenderly as though at any moment it would disappear from beneath him. Dread filled him as he came closer to the figure. He was close enough to touch it now. He collapsed to his knees and grabbed her lifeless form, pulling it close to his body. He began to cry more fiercely. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have fought with you. This is my fault. I shouldn't have....I...I will not be able to survive this." He stroked the hair on her head. Her body was mutilated, she was covered in bruises and blood, her clothes ripped nearly completely from her, her eyes still wide open in terror. He raised his hand up to her now hollow eyes and closed them, his body wracking with sobs. He rubbed his hand over her cheek tenderly. Whispering apologies into the wind. She had been his best friend, and the only true love he had ever known. And now she was snatched away from him before they had even had a real chance together. He would surely die of a broken heart. He closed his eyes tightly, rocking her form back and forth.  
  
The wind began to blow fiercely. He opened his eyes and looked at her as her hair was whipped around in the wind. Then, slowly the scar on her neck, which looked like a small open eye, began to glow a light blue. The wind began to blow more violently, the blue swirling up from her neck as the scar disappeared and was carried off into the wind. The wind died down and all was quiet. He closed his eyes tightly once more and he wept. 


	2. Silence

Erin looked out the window, watching the sheets of rain hit the pavement and bounce off. The window itself looked like a mirror of water: the way it reflected images, making them twist and contort as the water slid off the glass pane. She didn't make a sound, just sat there staring out the window at her reflection. Not much had happened that day; she was the only one home, since she lived by herself. There was always a silence about the house, even if a noise was made it was as though the walls themselves sucked it up, returning silence to it.  
  
Erin moved away from the window and walked over to her piano, not making a sound, then lightly ran her fingers over the keys.  
  
She just looked at it for a moment and sat down. She hit one of the keys and listened to the sound float about the house. It was her voice, since she had none of her own. She heard a bolt of lightning crack sharply outside.  
  
Slowly, as though it would collapse under her weight, she sat down on the bench. Her fingers began to play, making a beautiful melody emanate throughout the house. She closed her eyes and just listened, her hands taking on minds of their own.  
  
Her eyes shot open as she heard another bolt of lightning and her horse running. Erin stood quickly and ran out the front door, into the pouring rain. She ran across the yard to the section her horse was kept in. The rain was falling so heavily that she was completely drenched by the time she reached it. The large black gelding started when it saw her, but ran towards her after she was recognized, hoping to find safety.  
  
Erin reached her hands up to its head, stroking it soothingly. The horse slowly began to calm down, until lightning struck again, this time hitting her house. The area that the lightning struck was surrounded by leaves. She watched in horror as they sparked and caught fire, beginning to spread slowly to the rest of her house.  
  
Erin looked on in terror as her horse, Aegnor, began to run about the yard, slipping in the mud and almost running through trees. Erin didn't know what to do, he was going to hurt himself and she couldn't control him from the ground. She thought for a moment and then came to a quick decision. She ran across the yard to a path that she anticipated Aegnor taking, and waited, watching him closely, until he turned and began to run in her direction.  
  
He was going very fast and was slipping, so this would be difficult. Erin looked up to the sky, which was near black with the dark storm clouds rolling in. She looked back to her horse, her eyes set in determination, now was her chance. As Aegnor passed she reached her hands up, grasped his mane, and swung herself up onto his back. She was almost thrown off immediately. Her horse was in a blind panic; there had never been a storm this bad before.  
  
Erin hugged her body close to his and held on tight, Aegnor was running directly toward the burning house. She sucked in a sharp breath and braced herself. Aegnor stopped abruptly and reared up onto his hind legs, sliding across the mud. Erin heard another sharp crack of lightning. She looked up and saw a bright flash of light before everything went black. 


	3. Sounds

Her senses came to one at a time. Her hearing was the first thing to surface. There was a quiet rustling of leaves and the sound of wind blowing through grass. She felt something bump up against her cheek as she opened her eyes. There was Aegnor, grazing quietly next to her head. She sat up slowly and took in her surroundings. It was absolutely beautiful.  
  
There was thick green grass covering the ground, with fallen leaves scattered about. She was in the middle of a thick forest, so thick that she was unable to see more than twenty feet away.  
  
Erin stood up and looked down at herself then at her horse, they were both caked in mud. She smiled. As she thought the smile slowly faded from her face when she realized that she didn't have any idea where they were. She looked around once again, trying to get her bearings. No use, where she lived NOTHING looked like this.  
  
She sighed. 'Well,' she thought, 'I suppose I should try to find my way around.' She looked to her horse, and moved towards him to get his attention. Hopping slightly, she jumped on top of his back, and squeezed him with her legs. He began to move forward immediately, turning when she would use her hands to place pressure on either side of his neck.  
  
It was so quiet in these woods. She was getting nervous, none of the animals were making any sounds. The wind wasn't even blowing.  
  
Eyeing the woods nervously she put more pressure on Aegnor's sides, pushing him up to a trot. Then she heard it: There were footsteps behind them. They were moving quickly, and getting closer to her. She turned her head and saw something. What it was she couldn't tell. It was fairly far off, but it was gaining quickly. The figure was a dark blur, it didn't move in a straight line. That was the reason it was so frightening, the figure was jerking back and forth, from side to side. Its movements were jagged and looked labored. What the hell was it?  
  
She gave Aegnor a swift kick in the side. He jumped slightly and kicked his hind legs against the ground in a sudden burst of speed. He pounded his hooves against the ground, almost as though he sensed the urgency of the situation. She looked behind her, the figure was moving faster now as well, it was a complete blur. She turned to face forward and hunched over so that there would be less resistance from the wind, while clutching his mane tightly.  
  
Aegnor began to run even faster. The wind was whipping his mane and tail behind them, along with Erin's hair, which was coming undone. Everything was moving by them quickly, creating long, blurry streaks of green and brown as they passed the trees. She could barely hear the figure getting closer over her horse's thundering hoof-beats. She turned to look behind herself once more.  
  
The figure was almost directly behind them. Her eyes widened in horror as she saw the being. Even though it was as close as it was, she still couldn't make out what type of creature it was; the figure was still just a dark blur.  
  
Erin turned back just in time to see the ledge of a drop off about two feet in front of them. It was too late, she opened her mouth to scream but no noise came out. She could feel her body coming up off of Aegnor's body as they plummeted through the air.  
  
She looked down and pulled herself down on his back just before they hit water. She took in a sharp breath as the cold water came in contact with her body. Horse and rider were then enveloped under several feet of icy water. 


	4. Sleep

Erin gasped as they rose to the surface. The water splashed around them as they were swept down river. Aegnor kicked furiously, trying to reach shore. Erin looked ahead of them and then began to paddle furiously as well. They were coming up to a waterfall and then over it. They fell once again and sunk deep below the surface of the water.  
  
As she looked she could see the rays of sunlight dancing through the water, making small shadows flutter about the rocks on the riverbed. They both kicked upwards until they erupted through the surface of the water. It was calmer now. Aegnor swam over to the bank and stumbled through the mud, slipping, up onto shore.  
  
Erin took a few deep breaths to calm herself. She turned around from her seat on Aegnor to look back at the waterfall. It wasn't incredibly high, but it was still quite a drop down. She looked father and saw the creature at the edge of the woods. It looked directly at her. Although it had no visible eyes she could tell that it was looking at her. It let out a shrill cry and jumped off the little ledge into the water.  
  
Erin began to panic; it was still coming after her. She turned to face forward and gave Aegnor a little kick. He slipped slightly on the slimy floor but made it to solid ground at the edge of the woods. Then they once again sped off through the forest. Erin look behind them, she could not see the creature anywhere. They were safe for now.  
  
Aegnor slowed and came to a stop. They had been at a dead run for nearly an hour now. He panted heavily and stamped his feet. Erin reached down and patted his neck, then slowly slid off of him. They were clean now because of their fall in the river, and she was nearly dry from the wind caused by the speed of Aegnor's running. When her feet touched the ground her knees buckled and she fell. Riding a horse at that speed for a prolonged period of time was difficult. Now she was dehydrated and starving, she couldn't even imagine what it was like for Aegnor.  
  
She crawled across the grass, looking for some kind of food. Erin spotted a small stream nearby and scrambled over to it, dipping her hands into the cool water, bringing it up to her face, and taking large gulps. Aegnor walked over to the stream and began to drink as well. Erin sat up and wiped the water that was dripping down her chin, then looked around. She still didn't recognize anything in the surrounding area. The woods weren't so quiet now, and it was getting dark out.  
  
Erin looked over to Aegnor then down at her jeans. She wanted to get some sleep but she was afraid of him running off. If he did run off and that thing came back then she was royally screwed. Looking back down at her jeans once more, she decided to make a small rope so that she could tie him to a tree. She looked around nervously, then almost smacked herself on the forehead. Who exactly would be watching her out here? She took off her pants and tried to rip them.  
  
Then she pulled on them harder. Her face was now turning red; it was always so easy to rip up clothes in the movies. Finally she gave up trying to rip it with her hands and put the piece of cloth in her mouth. She tugged even harder with her teeth.  
  
RIIIIIIP!  
  
Erin fell backwards onto the grass. She had ripped her jeans up the side of the leg, then to the left, making the leg come off so that it was a pair of shorts. Sort of. She blinked at her pants; one leg was longer than the other. She moved to the other leg and ripped it off so that they were even, then she began shredding the pant legs, making little strips of cloth, then trying them together to make a long rope.  
  
By the time she was done her fingers were raw and the rope was about one hundred feet long, which would give Aegnor room to walk around and graze during the night. She tied the rope around his head, making a halter, and climbed up the tree he was attached to, to sleep. Her mind wandered over the events of the day as she drifted off to sleep. 


	5. Deafening Silence

Erin awoke to the sound of Aegnor stamping his feet frantically. She immediately became fully awake and alert as she looked around nervously. She could hear something coming towards them. The noise of something heavy and awkward, the footsteps were ragged and uneven. The noise was still pretty far off, and it was moving slowly.  
  
She quietly climbed down from the tree and untied Aegnor. Then she hopped on top of his back, after taking the rope off of him, and they galloped off. It was then that she noticed the woods, none of the animals were making a single sound. The deafening silence was broken by an inhuman scream. One that sounded of ripping metal and shattering glass.  
  
She kicked Aegnor and he picked up the pace as they weaved through trees and bushes. She couldn't hear the creature following them so she slowed to a lope and continued on. It was nearly dawn now; at least she had the slight comfort of daylight.  
  
It was early in the morning but fully light out as Erin stopped. She had been alone, lost in the woods for six days now. She traveled along the stream and would stop occasionally to scrounge for food. She couldn't go on like this for much longer. Aegnor was fine since there was plenty of grass in the thick forest, but she could hardly find so much as a berry for herself.  
  
She was slowly starving to death, and she was now very weak. That creature had chased after her once more, but had left her alone since then. It was a good thing too, she was so tired that if it did chase her she wasn't sure that she'd be able to hold on to Aegnor at anything faster than a walk. That was how they'd been traveling the last few days, at a walking pace.  
  
Erin slid off of Aegnor's back and crawled over to a nearby tree to rest. She crawled up into the branches and closed her eyes, instantly falling into a dreamless sleep. She didn't realize that she hadn't tied Aegnor up. Aegnor walked around the tree and began to graze, looking up occasionally. Then his head shot up and his ears faced forwards, listening closely to something in the distance, then he trotted off towards the noise.  
  
Erin awoke to silence. Dead silence. All of the animals were silent. Her eyes widened in fear as she realized the implications of this. She looked down, trying to spot Aegnor, then began to panic as she saw that he was nowhere to be found. Now all she could do was sit there and wait, she had absolutely no chance on foot.  
  
A flash of something caught her eye. It wasn't dark, but infact it was light. Very light, like pale hair. It was walking silently through the woods. Then she heard very light hoofbeats and saw Aegnor following quietly behind the stranger. Was he stealing her horse?  
  
She didn't care very much at the moment though, she was just incredibly happy to see anybody at all. She moved slightly to climb down.  
  
His head turned sharply in her direction. He had good hearing. Before she could react there was an arrow flying towards her head. She dropped flat to the branch quickly, just as the arrow struck the trunk behind her. What was she supposed to do? She certainly couldn't TELL him that she meant no harm.  
  
She thought quickly and ripped a small piece of cloth off of her long sleeved shirt and let it fall from the tree. She could see him watching the small piece of cloth flutter to the ground. Slowly, he lowered his bow and began to approach the tree with trepidation; his eyes constantly fixed on the tree. When he was about twenty feet away his face seemed to soften as he realized it was a girl in the tree. He put away his bow entirely and smiled.  
  
"Do not be frightened, Lady, I will not harm you. I'm afraid I just did not realize that you were a woman. There have been many evil things lurking about this forest."  
  
If Erin could have spoken she would have said something to the effect of "Well no shit Sherlock."  
  
She eyed him nervously then began to climb slowly down the tree. She dropped the last five feet to the ground and ducked behind the tree, her head poking around the trunk. She then noticed Aegnor standing behind the attractive man. She reached her hand around the trunk and did a few flowing gestures very quickly, then pulled her hand back behind the tree.  
  
Aegnor walked from behind the man, around the tree, and stood behind Erin. The man looked at them strangely.  
  
"How did you do that?"  
  
Erin looked at him and didn't move.  
  
"I promise I will not hurt you. Please do not be afraid of me." He held his hand out to her. She stared at it for a moment then placed her hand in his, and stepped out from behind the tree. She let go of his hand and put both of hers behind her back. He stared at his own hand for a moment.  
  
"You're so cold. How long have you been out here?"  
  
Erin put her hands in front of her and held up six fingers.  
  
"Six days?" He raised his voice slightly, his eyes filled with surprise. He looked down at her clothes and his eyes widened even more. "What has happened to you?"  
  
Erin's clothes were dirty and torn, with some blood splattered on her shirt, from a couple days ago when she had fallen from a tree and had been stabbed, fairly deeply, in her stomach by a sharp rock. She looked down at herself and shrugged.  
  
"Come with me." She shied away from him. "It's all right. My name is Legolas. What is yours?"  
  
She was silent. "Well if you will not tell me then I will simply give you one. I will call you Esgalan."  
  
Erin felt a little guilty. He thought that she wasn't talking to him because she didn't trust him. He turned to lead her off. She grabbed his arm and turned him around. She held up her pinkie finger.  
  
"What?" she figured he probably didn't know sign language so she tried a different approach. She pointed to her eye.  
  
"You see something?" She shook her head no. She pointed to herself.  
  
"You?" She smiled and nodded. Then she shook her head and mouthed the word 'not'.  
  
"You're not.." She nodded. Then she pointed to her throat and then to her mouth.  
  
"You're not talk.You're not able to talk?" he asked. She nodded. "Oh. Well come with me anyway will you?" She nodded and began to follow, on Aegnor, as he walked off. Legolas stopped and turned around, "May I ride with you? It will be much faster." She nodded.  
  
Legolas walked up to her horse and moved to get on. Aegnor jumped to the side and prepared to run. Erin put her hand where he could see it and made a few sharp gestures, then Aegnor seemed to calm. Legolas walked up to him again and this time hopped up on top of his back without a problem. He reached his arms around Erin and put his hands on the horse's neck so that he could control him.  
  
Erin was glad that Legolas couldn't see her face at the moment because she was blushing furiously.  
  
An hour later her eyes began to droop; she was really tired. She felt herself leaning back into him. She jerked back up, determined not to fall asleep on him. Her eyes began to droop again, and then closed all together. She finally gave in and leaned into him, surrendering to sleep.  
  
She could hear something. It sounded like a drum, a deep steady thumping. It was dark all around her, but she could her the thumping echoing around her. Then everything went silent. The darkness seemed to swirl around her, enveloping her. It was cold. Very very cold. The life was being sucked out of her. Something was whispering to her in the shadows. She began to cry, and then she screamed.  
  
Erin jumped awake, her eyes wide in terror. She struggled, something was holding her there.  
  
"Shhh. Calm down, it's okay. You had a bad dream that's all."  
  
She calmed down a bit as she recognized Legolas' voice. Then she thought about the unnerving dream. It seemed so familiar. She had screamed. She had actually made noise. She had never made any noise in a dream before. Erin looked at their surroundings, it was midday, the sun was high up in the sky. Legolas bent over slightly.  
  
"We're almost in Mirkwood now."  
  
Erin looked up at the sky. A little bit of sunlight was filtering through the trees, casting odd shadows about the ground. She wasn't paying attention when she began to slip from the horse's back. She slid to the side and fell to the ground.  
  
"AH!" she squeaked. Then she froze. She'd made a noise. An actual word, well...sort of.. She looked up at Legolas who was standing on the ground with a worried expression on his face.  
  
"I though that you couldn't speak."  
  
She pointed to herself and shook her head.  
  
"You can't? But you just.." He was interrupted by her grabbing a stick and writing in the dirt. He looked over her shoulder at the markings.  
  
"I'm sorry but I can't read that."  
  
Erin sighed. She pointed to herself then shook her head, did a gesture with her hands, and mouthed the word "before".  
  
"You were never able to before?" she nodded. "Oh, well that is strange. But we must hurry we only have a few hours before it gets dark, and even I do not wish to be caught in the middle of Mirkwood in the dark." She nodded and hopped back onto Aegnor's back. Legolas followed suit and they began to ride once again. 


	6. A Bit of Fun

"I'm sorry, but I have to."  
  
"No you don't, you can refuse."  
  
"I will not do that to them! I have to do this!"  
  
"No!"  
  
"I don't care!"  
  
The young woman ran off into the woods, quickly disappearing behind the thick foliage. The flaxen haired man sighed and turned away, walking in the opposite direction from where the woman had run. He stopped and turned back, his eyes filled with worry for her.  
  
Legolas shot up in bed, his eyes wide, sweat dripping down his forehead. His dreams haunted him. They had stopped for a while, but recently he had been having them again.  
  
He got out of bed and walked to his door. Legolas and Erin arrived earlier that day to the palace in Mirkwood. She had been questioned by the king, Thranduil, who was a little perturbed about Erin's inability to talk. Now Erin was in a guestroom, asleep.  
  
Legolas stepped out of his room and into the cool night air, then walked over to the railing that was along the side of the walkway. He leaned up against it and looked up at the sky. It was a clear night; the sky was a dark blue with small white dots scattered across it. He stared up at it, thinking about all that had happened that day, the day that was so long ago.  
  
He could still hear her voice; he could still see her retreating form running off into the woods. He wondered now why he had not died that day. He should have died of a broken heart. Then he remembered her scar, the one that was a small oval with a dot in the middle. It looked just like a very small, open eye; but he still wondered what had happened to it. The scar seemed to be carried off by the wind in the form of a blue light.  
  
He pictured her face, covered in blood and bruises as the wind whipped her hair around. Shutting his eyes tightly he tried to erase the image from his mind, but it would never stay away for long. In order to get his mind off of the subject he decided to go and check on Erin to see if she was sleeping well.  
  
He walked down the hall until he came to her door. He paused in front of it, then slowly opened it, trying not to make any noise. He peered inside, expecting to see her asleep on the bed. He came face to face with a pair of eyes.  
  
Jumping back away from the door, he nearly fell over. Erin opened the door the rest of the way, a wide smile plastered on her face. The look of surprise slowly left his face and was replaced by a smile large enough to match hers. He let out a couple of short laughs.  
  
"May I come inside?" he asked, motioning to her door. She nodded and held the door open for him. Quietly closing the door behind herself she walked to the window, leaned over the ledge, and looked down. Legolas slowly walked towards her and looked out the window, trying to see what she was looking at. What he saw astonished him.  
  
Erin's horse was standing there, with what looked to be a pair of Elven pants in his mouth. He looked at Erin who was grinning like an idiot, then watched as she made a few symbols with her hand to her horse. The horse then dropped the pants, walked over a bit through the bushes, and came back with another pair of pants.  
  
Legolas looked to the left where the horse had come from. He saw four male elves sitting in a bathing pool with their clothes hung on the bushes. He looked at Erin who had a look of pure glee on her face, laughing silently. He began to laugh, a look of shock on his face at her antics.  
  
She was telling her horse to walk over there and steal those Elves pants.  
  
The horse walked back one more time, grabbed the last pair of pants, walked back under her window, and dropped them into the pile of clothes. Erin held up a hand to Legolas, indicating for him to stay there, then ran out of her room.  
  
Legolas blinked a couple of times then turned back to the window, wondering what she was up to now. He looked out the window at the horse for a few moments then he saw Erin run up to her horse, pick up the pants, pat her horse on its head, and run back in the direction that she came from.  
  
He waited and a minute later she burst into the room with the pants. She dropped them on her bed and ran over to the window. She stuck her hand out and did a few gestures. Her horse then walked away and began to "casually" graze.  
  
Legolas watched as the elves finished bathing and stepped out of the water to look for their clothes. It made for a funny sight when they finally gave up and decided that a bikini of leaves would be useful. Erin was now almost rolling on the floor at this. She composed herself, walked over to the window, and using sign language, told her horse that he could leave.  
  
Collapsing on her bed, Erin began to silently laugh once again. Legolas walked over to her, still chuckling slightly, and sat down next to her on the bed, the cushion barely moving.  
  
"Well I came to see how you were sleeping but I see that question has been answered. So I will ask another question. Since you are so obviously wide awake, would you like to accompany me on a walk?" he finished his question, a smile still seen clearly in his eyes.  
  
Erin turned to him, a large smile spread across her face, and nodded.  
  
"Good. Well then I will just wait outside of your room so that you may prepare yourself."  
  
Erin looked down at herself, and then back up to him, indicating that she was already dressed and ready to go. He looked at her.  
  
"Okay then, shall we be off?" He held his arm out to her. She took it gladly and walked out of her room, skipping the whole way.  
  
Legolas laughed. "My you certainly are energetic for it being such a late hour."  
  
Erin just looked at him, a devilish grin creeping its way across her face. She let go of his arm and took off running down the hall.  
  
Legolas stood there for a moment until he realized what she was doing. He smiled and then ran down the hall after her. 


	7. Hide and seek, Erin style

A/N: Hi everybody! I thank all of you who have reviewed, I know it sounds cheap and unsincere, but I am honest! It really does mean a lot to me. As for the prologue, it will be explained throughout the story. I know it is a bit confusing, and I apologize for that, but it is the only way I could make it..what's the word?..effective. Oh well, I hope you enjoy this scene, it's a bit different from the rest of mine.  
  
Erin ducked behind a tree and panted, a smile written clearly on her face. She quietly climbed up the tree and waited in the branches. She was full of energy now. As soon as they had gotten to the Elf dwellings she had been fed and slept for the rest of the day, so now she was more than fully awake and energized.  
  
Listening carefully, she could hear footsteps approaching the tree. She was at the edge of the forest sitting in one of the trees that was quite a bit taller than the rest and was well hidden. The footsteps were getting closer. She pouted slightly as the thought that Legolas had found her so easily, but then she smiled again; this was still a lot of fun, even if he did find her so quickly.  
  
She tried to look through the branches of the tree, but the leaves were too thick. 'Why won't the wind blow or something? Then the branches would move a bit and I could see something,' she though. Then she froze. The wind wasn't blowing. She listened to everything around her: silence.  
  
She flattened herself to the branch and held her breath. That thing was near her, she could feel it. Then she heard another pair of footsteps, very light ones; they were barely audible.  
  
Erin lowered herself from the branch slightly and looked out of the tree; there was Legolas. She turned and looked in the other direction. There was something there, but it was not the creature that she saw before: it was something uglier, but not quite as creepy. It was going to pass directly under the tree she was in, straight towards Legolas. The creature was staring at him, a look of pure hatred in its eyes.  
  
Slowly the creature unsheathed a long, ugly sword and began to walk more quietly. This angered her. This foul looking creature was going to hurt her friend. How dare he?! She would never allow any harm to come to her friends. Because of her muteness, she had been trained to defend herself quite nicely. If anything happened to her she could not scream so she had to be able to take care of herself no matter what the situation was; and she would much rather harm come to herself than others. At least others that she cared about.  
  
It is a proven fact that people fight more fiercely when defending someone else rather than themselves, but Erin went above and beyond this.  
  
Her eyes narrowed as she stared at the ugly thing, she could feel her mood changing to that of a defensive one. This thing would hurt Legolas over her dead body.  
  
She raised herself up into a crouching position on the branch, her hands gripping it tightly. She waited quietly until the creature was almost under the tree. As it came closer her glare turned into an evil smirk. This thing was going to pay for trying to hurt her friend.  
  
It was under the tree. Erin let go of the branch, bent over, and pushed off the branch with her hind legs, sending herself flying towards it. The thing never saw her coming. In a heartbeat she had it knocked to the ground. The creature let out a gutteral cry and pushed her off of it.  
  
Erin rolled back and hopped up to her feet. She glared at the thing, a hint of amusement in her eyes. She jumped at it, her right hand drawn back to punch. The creature saw this and jerked away from the blow. Erin smiled. The stupid thing had fallen for it. She thrust her left hand forward, smashing the heel of her hand into the side of its neck.  
  
It stumbled back. Erin didn't hesitate; she ran forward, jumping up on top of its shoulders and swung her right foot to the left, as though she were kicking a soccer ball. Her foot connected squarely with the side of its head. Erin pushed off of its shoulders and swung her hands behind herself, arcing her back, she tucked her knees into her chest as she flipped and straightened her body out just as she was an inch away from the ground, landing directly behind the creature. It stumbled around a bit. Erin crouched low to the ground and, using all of her leg power, she pushed away from the ground, slamming her fist into its back. It dropped down to its knees. Erin did a back flip over the creature, then stood and turned to it slowly.  
  
Time seemed to slow down as her eyes met its. They stared at one another for a moment, a look of hatred in its eyes equal to hers. Time returned to normal as Erin jumped up into the air, turned, and extended her leg out to the side. As she turned, her leg swung around and slammed into his jaw, effectively breaking its neck.  
  
Legolas ran over just as a sharp crack was heard. He had seen the whole scene from the time she jumped out of the tree on. She had just killed an orc with her bare hands. 


	8. Watching and listening

A/N: Hi there! If you're reading this I thank you! Well there is some Elvish in this chapter, some words I couldn't find out what they were in Sindarin, so there is a mix of Quenya and Sindarin. Just to let you know!  
  
Erin turned and looked at Legolas, who had a look of shock on his face.  
  
"How did you do that? Not many can kill an Orc with their bare hands!"  
  
An Orc. SO that's what it was called. "Oooooorrrrkeh?" Erin said it slowly, testing the way it felt on her tongue. Legolas' eyes widened; she was learning to speak. His shocked expression slowly turned into a smile as he walked closer to her.  
  
"I am glad that you are okay. Will you come with me now? We will return and get some rest."  
  
Erin smiled and walked along side him, thinking about what her first word was. Orc. What a foul creature that was. She decided then that she would work on talking every night, when nobody was around. She thought about all the things she could tell the Elves; all the things she could ask them. Then a thought struck her. She would finally be able to tell them what her name was.  
  
She decided to work on her name tonight, and then she would tell Legolas tomorrow. She didn't notice the look Legolas was giving her, wondering what she looked so excited about.  
  
Erin awoke just as the sun was barely coming up through the trees. She jumped up and looked for some clothes. She had only been at this place for a day, so she didn't have any clothes other than her own, and they were quite dirty, worn, and ripped. Then she remembered, a female elf had come in yesterday and told her that she would wash Erin's clothes for her, and that there were more clothes for her in what Erin would call a closet. The Elf had called it something else but Erin didn't remember what.  
  
She walked over to it and opened the doors, then she frowned. It was filled with a bunch of dresses. Erin didn't particularly like dresses, but she wasn't going to complain: these people were giving her shelter and food, so she might as well be grateful.  
  
She grabbed one of the dresses, a green one, and put it on quickly, then she ran, or attempted as best as she could in a dress, over to a small table with a brush on it. She picked it up and ran it through her hair, which wasn't incredibly long, only about down to the bottom of her shoulder blades, a couple of times.  
  
Erin then put her hair up into a bun, with two small braids, made from the hair behind her ears, wrapped around it and tied to hold the bun there. She slipped on a pair of shoes and ran out of her room.  
  
Last night, while trying to say her name, she had decided that she would spend most of the day listening to other people talking so that she could pick some of it up. She ran down the hallway, nearly running into a few Elves, until she finally came to a small garden.  
  
She walked into the middle of it and sat down. Here she could listen to everybody talking without being a nuisance. She quieted herself down and listened, watching people's mouths to see what shapes they were making. Then she stopped. They were speaking another language, one she had never heard before.  
  
She sighed, this was going to take a lot longer than she had originally anticipated, but she could do it. She'd spent her whole life listening to other people talk, surely she would be able to figure out what they were saying eventually.  
  
Erin came and listened to people everyday for a week. At night she would go exploring, sometimes with Legolas.  
  
The Elf maidens she had met were very nice and would sometimes sit and talk to her for hours. They would tell her about history, art, and different Elvish customs, at least she thought so. They would always speak to her in their own native tongue. They all knew that she could not speak as of yet, but they would still talk to her.  
  
They taught her how to sew her own clothes. It was fun to listen to them talk, something about the way the language sounded. She had not been able to see Legolas much, he was busy preparing for some type of trip he had to take. But that was okay, she kept herself amused easily enough.  
  
She looked outside at the sky. It was almost night. She walked over to her door and opened it quietly, stepping outside. Everyone had told her not to go into the woods by herself, especially at night. But what was the worst that could happen? If another one of those Orcs found her she could take care of herself.  
  
Just to be on the safe side she grabbed the small dagger, which she had carved out of wood one day when she was bored, and tied it to her leg, just above her knee, with some twine. This way if something happened all she had to do was reach up under her dress and grab the knife.  
  
She still had a good hour before she was going to go exploring so she decided to stop by Legolas' room. She walked up to his door and knocked on it. There was no reply. She waited a moment and then slowly opened the door. His room looked different somehow. She stepped inside and walked around the corner.  
  
Then she turned a deep shade of crimson. Well, she found an Elf. A naked one. One who definitely was NOT Legolas. That's why the room looked different; it wasn't his. She bowed an apology and ran out of the Elf's room.  
  
Legolas' room was one door down. She calmed herself and knocked on it.  
  
"You may enter," came his reply. Erin opened the door and walked inside.  
  
"Suilannad!" she called. Legolas started and looked up at her.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Amin said suilannad." I said hello. Erin smiled at him.  
  
"I'm impressed. Lle istui avorn."  
  
Erin gave him a blank stare. "Amin car al henio." I do not understand.  
  
"I said, you learned quickly."  
  
"Amin tira." I see  
  
"Merna an pada godref?" Want to walk together? Legolas asked.  
  
Erin nodded. They walked down the hall together.  
  
"Ir lle.." Erin began, she didn't know how to say the last word.  
  
"When am I leaving?" Legolas finished for her.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I leave in two days."  
  
Erin looked down. She would miss talking to him. What would she do for months without him? Legolas turned and looked down at her.  
  
"Lle merna an teli ah amin?" You want to come with me?  
  
Erin looked up at him. "Can I?"  
  
"Lle mothron. Car lle iest an?" You may. Do you wish to?  
  
Erin smiled. "Yes!" she nearly yelled with enthusiasm.  
  
Legolas laughed. "Amin inc lle anta an-"  
  
"Amin car ha si!" I'll do it now! And with that Erin ran off to pack her things. 


	9. Will to fight

Erin sat down and huffed. She had packed everything that she would need except for food, which Legolas was bringing. She wondered how she was supposed to take a journey, which would last at least two weeks, in the wilderness, wearing nothing but dresses.  
  
She could not wear her own clothes since they were not suited for this place; not to mention they were falling apart. She looked at her bed, then down to the floor at the foot of it. She smiled.  
  
Erin walked over to the pile of clothes and picked it up. She would bring these with her, just in case she needed them at some point.  
  
Erin sat down again. What was she supposed to do now? She jumped and ran out of her room, remembering that she as going to go explore the forest. If anything happened she was within screaming distance of the elves.  
  
She ran out of the gates and into the woods, thoroughly enjoying climbing the trees and jumping from one to another; swinging back and forth on some of the branches. She swung high from one, letting go and flipping, then landing on the ground.  
  
Erin ran through the trees, enjoying the smell of the forest. It was nearly a full moon now, so it was very bright out. She ran up to a tree and leaned up against the trunk, out of breath. She sat down and listened to the sounds of nocturnal birds and other such things, then she caught the sound of something else.  
  
It was close. She froze. The sound stopped. It had sounded like footsteps coming towards her. She waited for a moment; still there was nothing. The animals had all stopped as well, as though they sensed something.  
  
Before she knew what was happening something grabbed her and ripped her from her spot on the ground, throwing her into a tree. She struck the tree hard, knocking the wind out of her. She tried to focus on what was in front of her as she caught her breath.  
  
Slowly her vision became clearer and she saw an orc glaring down at her. She saw a movement out of the corner of her eye and looked over just as two more orcs stepped out of the bushes. She straightened herself up and glared at them.  
  
They formed a circle around her, looking her up and down, then they all came at her at once. Thinking quickly, she ducked down and dove between two of them, rolling all the way up into a standing position. She turned and before they could react she had one in a head-lock, swiftly breaking its neck.  
  
The other two turned and lunged at her. She jumped back and pulled her right hand down to her side, then shoving it upward, used the heel of her hand to break its nose. Erin turned just in time as the other one brought the handle of its sword down upon her. She was barely able to turn enough to make it hit her back instead of her head.  
  
She fell to the ground, slightly dazed. The orc took this opportunity to thrust the blade of its sword down at her. She rolled over and jumped up to her feet. The bushes to her left were moving. She managed to land a punch just as three more orcs came through the bushes, and the one with the broken nose got its bearings.  
  
Erin decided that this was too much to handle all at once. She jumped straight up into the branches of one of the trees and hopped quietly to another tree before the orcs knew what was going on. She crouched down and winced as something dug into her leg. Then she remembered the knife.  
  
Erin was careful to be quiet while pulling it out; she did not wish for the orcs to know where she was. She looked down at them. There were five. They were all looking around, waiting for an attack. Erin looked at one that was further away from the rest.  
  
Acting quickly, she jumped down behind it and slit its throat, then jumped to the next closest one, stabbing it in the neck. She tried to pull the knife back out but it was too late, the other orcs had spotted her. Two of them ran at her at the same time, swinging their swords at her wildly.  
  
She dodged one swing, then another, and another. They sent two slashes her way at the same time; she could only dodge one. She moved out of the way of the one head towards her neck and took the one in her leg. Her face twisted in pain as it cut deeply down the side of her left leg. There was only one problem, pain pissed her off.  
  
Erin ground her teeth together as she looked at the one which had stabbed her. It looked quite pleased with itself. Using its distraction to her advantage, she kicked her right leg high into the air and brought it crashing down into the thing's skull, effectively smashing it. The creature fell to the ground.  
  
Just two more orcs to take care of. Erin turned to face the others but it was too late. They weren't as easily distracted as the others. One punched her hard in the stomach, sending her flying back. The other one, which was now behind her, kneed her in the back. The one behind her then raised its hand and back handed her, sending her sailing into the ground.  
  
The other one lifted her up by her hair and kicked her in the stomach. Erin gasped for breath. She was losing blood quickly, not only from the deep gash in her leg, but also internally now. She had been hit very hard. She opened her mouth to scream for help; she was too weak to fight any more. Her eyes widened as no sound came from her mouth.  
  
She couldn't speak. That was when she knew that she may not make it through this. Gathering the last of her strength, she grabbed the thing's hand, tore the sword from it, and before it could react she stabbed it straight through the heart. It released her hair and wobbled on its feet for a moment. Then before the other could move, she sliced through the side of the dead orc's body and used the momentum to swing it around, decapitating the last orc. Both of the bodies fell to the ground at the same time.  
  
That had used the last of her strength. She stumbled around a bit, raising her hand up to her mouth as she coughed up some blood. She looked down at her hand as her vision blurred. She was bleeding badly. Her hand was covered in blood from her coughing. She wasn't going to make it back to the elves, and nobody knew where she was. Then everything went black. 


	10. Stupid Jerk

Erin opened her eyes. Everything was blurry. She could hear somebody talking but it seemed muffled; she couldn't understand them. Something moved into her line of vision. It was hovering over her. Slowly things started to clear up. She saw Legolas was bent over her, his hands resting lightly on her shoulders.  
  
"Wake up! Do you understand me? Wake up! If you do not then you will die!"  
  
Erin focused more on his face and tried to clear the have in her mind. As she became more alert she tried to sit up. She could hardly move. Legolas gently put some pressure on her shoulders.  
  
"Do not try to sit up. You are badly wounded, I will carry you."  
  
It was barely light out as the morning came. Legolas lifted her as gently as he could into his arms.  
  
"AAAH!" Erin choked out in pain. She could speak now. She was unable to make a sound when she truly needed it. Even the lightest touch felt like a hammer, and her stomach was unbearable. She noticed, for the first time, that her dress was badly torn. She was no longer bleeding, but there was dried blood caked all over her leg.  
  
Legolas walked as quickly and as evenly as he could. A sharp pain ripped through Erin's body as she screamed out again.  
  
"Aaaah!"  
  
Legolas looked down at her, concern written all over his face. Erin spluttered a bit as she coughed, blood flying from her mouth and dribbling down her chin. Legolas' eyes widened. He went as quickly as he could straight into Erin's chamber and carefully set her down on her bed. The other two elves had run ahead to prepare what they would need to heal her. Everything was ready.  
  
Legolas bent over Erin and spoke softly. "We are going to have to reopen the wound on your leg. It must be cleaned. This will be very painful for you, but it must be done."  
  
Erin nodded weakly. One of the other elves walked over to her.  
  
"Legolas, hold her hand. You need to talk to her through this. If she faints she may not wake up again."  
  
Legolas grabbed her hand and squeezed it lightly. The other Elf leaned over to talk to her.  
  
"Hello, my name is Esgalan." Erin looked at him. "Once I start you need to talk to Legolas and don't stop talking, okay?"  
  
She nodded and looked at Legolas, then she was suddenly aware of an immense pain wracking through her body. Her eyes began to roll back into her head.  
  
"Listen to me!" Legolas tried to make eye contact with her. He grabbed her cheek and made her face him. "Listen to me," he said more gently, "what is your name?"  
  
Her eyes rolled back again.  
  
"Look at me. What is your name?"  
  
"Erin," she choked out, "my name is Erin."  
  
Legolas smiled. "Erin please stay awake. Esgalan will be finished soon. Just hold on."  
  
She looked at him and squeezed his hand as another wave of pain went reeling through her body. She tensed up, her back arcing slightly as she writhed in pain. Legolas looked at her; his eyes fill with worry. He had to get her mind off of the pain.  
  
"Erin, what have you been doing lately? Have you learned anymore Sindarin?"  
  
Erin tried to focus on Legolas once again. She could feel her consciousness slipping. The world began to blur again as things got darker.  
  
"No! Erin! Wake up! You will die if you do not wake up!!!" Legolas' was now yelling.  
  
This snapped her out of it a bit. She looked at him. He smiled to encourage her. "Don't you wish to come to Rivendell with me? You must stay awake through the treatment. Once it is done you will heal very quickly. The faster you heal the sooner we can leave, right?"  
  
Erin managed a smile and nodded. Esgalan finished and washed the blood from his hands. He looked up at Erin.  
  
"I am finished with your leg, but now I must tend to your other wounds." Erin got a horrified look on her face. "Do not worry. It will not require anything very painful. You only need to be soaked in an herbal bath, but it must be done quickly, you are bleeding internally."  
  
Erin looked slightly relieved.  
  
"I must get some supplies. Legolas will you please undress her and put her in the bath?"  
  
Erin shook her head, blushing furiously.  
  
"Well can you do it yourself?" Esgalan asked. Erin lowered her head and didn't say anything. "Then Legolas must do it for you. We do not have time to get anybody else to do it, that is why WE must. Do not worry."  
  
Esgalan left the room to get the herbs. Erin looked at Legolas who stood and moved to begin taking her dress off. It didn't seem like he was embarrassed. It looked like he was just doing this because it would help her, nothing sexual.  
  
He carefully removed her dress and put it on the floor. She was still wearing her underwear. Legolas looked at her beat red face and smiled.  
  
"We shall leave these on." Erin smiled her thanks to him as he gently picked her up and walked her over to a large bath, then set her in it. Esgalan came in shortly after with several Elf maids carrying the herbal water. The bath was slowly filled with the fragrant liquid. Legolas and Esgalan left as the women tended to her wounds.  
  
Legolas stepped outside of her room and paced as Esgalan walked out beside him.  
  
"That was a very close call, and there is no telling how long it will be until she is fully healed," Esgalan said. "I must say that I am surprised that she survived at all; if she had been an Elf she would not have lived," he smiled, "the race of man is strong indeed. Although, I know of no man that would have lived through that. I am especially surprised since she is a woman. She fights well, I am guessing, from all of the orc bodies that lay around her."  
  
"Yes, she does fight well, I have seen it. She can kill orcs with her bare hands." Legolas said.  
  
"Can she?" he said with an amused tone. "Still, I'm guessing that she was staying alive for something, but for what I do not know. Perhaps you may be able to find out at some point. Did you see her leg?"  
  
"No. Why?"  
  
"It has a strange mark on it," Esgalan mused. Legolas frowned a bit. "But never mind that, I must leave now, I have matters to attend to. You take care of that maiden Legolas. There is something special about that one. She is indeed a fighter, but she is more fragile than she seems. Just remember that. I will be on my way now," and with that Esgalan left, leaving Legolas to ponder what he had meant.  
  
Legolas began to pace again. He had a decision to make, he did not want to go to Rivendell without her, but he could not postpone the journey for long. He would see how she was tomorrow, then he would make the decision.  
  
Erin lay down on her bed. The female elves left her after she was done bathing. She could walk now, but t was difficult and she was incredibly sore. In fact, that is what she had been doing for the last hour. Trying to work the knots out of her muscles. Now her stomach and back were wrapped in bandages, along with her leg. The cut on her leg was, in fact, worse than she had thought. It was very deep and went through her muscle.  
  
She sighed and closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep.  
  
She was surrounded by forest. She was walking through it and crying, then she heard a noise in the bushes. She didn't make a noise as something jumped out and attacked her.  
  
Erin bolted up in bed, then gasped as a wave of pain rolled through her body. She nearly screamed as someone reached out and touched her shoulder. She jerked away and turned to face her attacker. There sat Legolas.  
  
"It is okay Erin."  
  
She calmed down a bit as he rubbed her back, careful of her wound.  
  
"I..I had a horrible nightmare about those orcs."  
  
Legolas stood and then sat down next to her on the bed.  
  
"Come here," he said. Erin moved closer to him.  
  
Gently, Legolas pulled her into a light hugging position, He pushed her head gently to his shoulder, and began to hum lightly, his arms wrapped around her shoulders. Erin noticed that she felt very secure with him. She felt her eyelids begin to droop, then she fell asleep, the sound of his voice echoing in her mind and working its way into her dreams.  
  
  
  
Erin walked with Legolas down the hallway. It had been two days since the attack and she was feeling quite a bit better. The bruises had begun to diminish, but were still quite prominent, and she had to be very careful of what she did. She had already had an accident when she tried to twist her body around and reopened one of her internal wounds.  
  
They walked in relative silence, every once in a while one of them commented on something that had happened in the past few days. They didn't talk about what had happened to her. They stepped to the side as they passed two male elves, Erin catching the last bit of their conversation.  
  
"..did you ever find any of our pants?"  
  
"No, nobody did. It seems that they just disappeared and were carried off by the wind. Although, there was no wind."  
  
"How strange."  
  
"Indeed."  
  
Erin and Legolas tried to keep a straight face as they hurried away from the elves. They turned a corner and burst out into laughter.  
  
"You heard that right?" Erin asked.  
  
"Yes I did. What did you do with their pants anyway?"  
  
"That..is a secret," Erin said, laughing once again. Their laughter slowly died down as Legolas got a serious look on his face.  
  
"May I ask you something Erin?"  
  
"Um..go ahead," she gave him an odd look at suddenly turning so serious.  
  
"What happened with the orcs? Why did you even go out there?"  
  
Erin scratched the back of her head and laughed nervously. "Well, you see..I had just packed and I was really bored. I figured that it would be fun to go explore, and that if anything happened I would be able to scream for help."  
  
"So then why didn't you scream for help? If you had then surely somebody would have heard you."  
  
"I tried to scream. But it was strange. I couldn't make a single sound when I needed to. There were just so many of them. At that point I only had a couple left, so I finished them off, but I felt so dizzy. I tried to get back here but I couldn't make it. I don't know why.I wasn't wounded all THAT badly."  
  
Legolas gave her an odd look. "It was not THAT bad? You almost died, and you say it wasn't that bad," then he broke out into laughter. "You are indeed different than most people."  
  
Erin laughed, well.what can I say? I try." They both laughed some more as they continued to walk down the hall.  
  
They entered a large room with shelves lining the walls full of books. Erin looked up in awe.  
  
"So many books. What are they all about?"  
  
"Many things, mostly history. There are diaries here from many elves. You can read about their lives. Some are still here. Some are not. But I must leave now. My father wishes to speak with me about the journey we are to take. You may stay here and read if you would like."  
  
Erin nodded and ran over to one of the shelves. Legolas smiled at her childish antics. He walked out the door and left.  
  
Erin looked through the rows of shelves, reading all of the titles of the books. "Brilraugiel, the life of Thintine's daughter," Erin muttered out loud. She continued reading through the titles of the different books until she came to one that caught her eye. She stopped and pulled it off the shelf.  
  
"The tale of the Eleven. That sounds interesting." She opened the booked to the first page. Then the second, and the third. It was blank. She flipped all the way to the back of the book and looked down at the small scribing on the bottom of the page.  
  
"Not yet written. Not yet written? Well that sucks! I wanted to read this one!" Erin pouted and put the book back in the shelf. She began to look through the books again. She finally came to the last shelf, not having found anything of interest when she stopped again.  
  
"The story of Ladhwen. Hmm." She pulled the book from the shelf and opened it. She began to read the first page, which consisted of a bunch of formalities. She flipped a few pages in and began to read.  
  
"..not much is know of Ladhwen. She was in Mirkwood to visit a friend. She arrived with one traveling companion. The two quickly befriended the prince. Her companion left, then shortly after, Ladhwen died. There was a rumor that Ladhwen had a romantic relationship with the prince, but nothing was ever proven, since the prince would not reveal anything."  
  
Erin flipped to the next page. Nothing. How strange. Erin decided that she would give up and walked back to her room. She was soooo bored. There was nothing more to do in this place except for embroidery, and that would be her last resort. There was ESPECIALLY nothing to do now since she had been forbidden from going out in the woods by herself again, whether she had a weapon or not. The only thing left to do was sleep. So she did just that.  
  
Legolas walked up to Erin's door and knocked on it. There was no answer. He slowly walked inside only to find her asleep. 'She certainly sleeps a lot,' he thought. Thranduil had informed him that he was to leave in the morning. He wrote Erin a note and left it on her pillow, next to her head. He didn't think that she was yet fit for travel, and he would rather her be safe and healthy than with him.  
  
He walked out of her room and went to prepare himself for the journey.  
  
Erin awoke just as the first rays of sun filtered through her window, landing on her face. She stirred and slowly sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She dropped her hands back down to the bed and jumped a bit when she heard a crackling noise.  
  
She looked down, trying to figure out what the little object was. Then her brain finally clicked. It was a note. She picked it up and read it.  
  
Esgalan walked down the hallway and nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard a loud screeching noise, one that sounded as though it came from a dying orc.  
  
"WHHHHHAAAAAATTTT?????!!!!! YOU CAN'T LEAVE WITHOUT ME YOU STUPID JERK!!!!"  
  
Esgalan ran towards the noise, hoping that nobody was being killed. He ran into Erin's room and froze. She stood there, nearly naked, face bright red, ranting and raving, while trying to wrestle a dress on.  
  
"Lady Erin are you okay? I heard a loud noise and was afraid that you were being attacked by a band of orcs."  
  
She turned towards him eyes blazing. "No Esgalan! I am not being attacked! The stupid jerk left me here! He went to Rivendell without me!"  
  
"That is only because he cares, he would rather that you were here. That way you would have time to heal, and would be safe from any dangers they might encounter."  
  
Erin calmed down a bit. "I would rather go with him. I will be fine. I won't be caught by those stupid things again unawares."  
  
Esgalan smiled at her. "You are indeed a, how would you say it? An odd one? Well that sounds about right. Anyhow, I must be going." Esgalan walked out of the room quickly before Erin could blow another fuse.  
  
If it was possible, one could see the steam rising out of her ears as she packed the last of her things roughly into her bag and stormed out of the room, dress barely done up.  
  
She turned a corner and ran into one of the Elf maidens that she talked to frequently.  
  
"Lle thio an-" You seem to-  
  
"Amin hiraetha aen, Ithilien, Amin alag aen." I am sorry, Ilthilien, I am rushing.  
  
"Pan eithel aen." All is well  
  
Erin ran off again, leaving the gates to the Elven city, and looking around. Where was Aegnor? She put her fingers together and whistled. That was one noise she was always able to make, so she had taught Aegnor to come to that when she could not see him to tell him with her hands. Then she reached up and smacked herself on the forehead. She could have whistled when she was attacked by the orcs. If nothing else then at least Aegnor would have come, and she could have ridden away. Oh well. It was too late now.  
  
Aegnor came trotting up to her. She put the bag on her back and jumped on top of him, leaning forward and tapping him in the sides. He cantered off down the trail that the previous Elves' horses had left.  
  
Erin slowed Aegnor. They had been running for an hour and he needed a rest. Holy Jebus how long ago had the Elves left? And at what speed? She still was not even close to them, as she could see that the footprints were slightly old. She dismounted and opened her pack, pulling out some food, and then began to eat. She watched Aegnor as he began to graze. Then she though about something. The elves could talk to horses. Using Sindarin, could she speak to Aegnor? She decided to give it a try.  
  
"Aegnor car lle henio amin?" Aegnor do you understand me?  
  
The horse jerked its head up, it looked as surprised as she did.  
  
"Interesting."  
  
She finished her food and walked towards Aegnor. She jumped on top of his back and squeezed his sides. He wouldn't move.  
  
"What?" She looked down. "Oh." She jumped off of his back and bent over to grab her bag she froze as she saw something. It was a strange footprint, unlike any she had ever seen before. She stared at it, her eyes wide. Moving as quickly as she could, she jumped onto Aegnor's back and kicked his sides, pushing him to a full out run.  
  
Erin listened closely, it was okay for now. The animals were still making sounds, she would just have to pay VERY close attention to what was going on around her.  
  
Erin slowed Aegnor half an hour later as she looked in front of them. She motioned to Aegnor to be very quiet when he walked. She could see the elves. They were quite away in front of her. They were at a walking pace on their horses, talking amongst each other. She decided that she would get a little revenge on them for leaving her, even if it was with good intentions. She stood up on Aegnor's back and motioned for him to keep on walked silently beneath her. She jumped up into one of the trees and began to leap, as quietly as she could, from branch to branch.  
  
She knew that the Elves had incredible hearing, but she was sure that she could pull it off. She was getting closer to them slowly. She was nearly right above them when she decided what she would do. She shook the branches. The Elves heads snapped around and stared at the tree. She made the most high pitched, God awful sound she could make, her voice cracking and sounding like two.  
  
In an instant they had their bows out, and arrows knocked. Then they were flying towards her. She screamed, this time for real, as three arrows came flying towards her. She lost her footing and fell out of the tree.  
  
The Elves jumped from their horses and ran to her.  
  
"Erin what are you doing here?" Legolas asked as he helped her up. She rubbed her now sore bum.  
  
"I followed you."  
  
"Why did you scare us like that? You could have been killed."  
  
"I was getting you back for leaving me there."  
  
Legolas smiled. "I thought that you needed to heal more, but I can see quite clearly that you are fine. Except, perhaps, for your rear end."  
  
Erin blushed, then remembered Aegnor. "Aegnor! Tula sinome!" Aegnor! Come here!  
  
Aegnor trotted up beside her. She jumped on his back and winced slightly, she looked at the Elves expectantly as they laughed at her odd injury.  
  
"Okay, okay! You can stop laughing at me! Shouldn't we be going?"  
  
Legolas controlled his laughter. "Yes I suppose we should."  
  
The Elves jumped back up onto their horses. Then the whole group left. 


	11. Shut up!

A/N: Does this really need a disclaimer? Isn't the whole site in and of itself a giant disclaimer? I mean the very fact that this section says FANfiction instead of just fiction gives away that facet. Did any of this make any sense? Nobody reads the disclaimer anyways, so why am I still talking? Oh who cares, on with the story.  
  
Erin looked around at the forest slowly passing by them. She twiddled her thumbs a bit. They weren't currently talking, just riding in silence, and she was bored out of her mind. She looked up at the sky; it was midday. The horses were only walking, so she was able to stay on easily without even thinking about it.  
  
An idea struck her. Because she didn't have to concentrate on riding, she could do something else. She looked at a dead tree they were approaching and when they passed it she reached up and broke a branch off. There was a loud snap. The Elves jerked around, bows ready, and looked at her. She held her hands up in front of her, branch still hanging from one, and smiled sheepishly. The Elves let out a sigh of relief and put away their bows.  
  
"Sorry about that," she said. "Next time I will warn you first."  
  
"Yes, you should know that," one of the Elves snapped at her.  
  
Erin rolled her eyes. "Yes, you should know that," she mimicked with a childish look on her face.  
  
"I heard that."  
  
"Who said I didn't want you to hear that, hmm?"  
  
The Elf rolled his eyes at her. Erin ignored him and looked at Legolas.  
  
"Legolas?" she called.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Could I borrow one of your long knives please?"  
  
"Yes, you may." Legolas reached back and pulled out one of the knives, tossing it to her.  
  
Erin looked on in horror as he exceedingly sharp object came flying towards her, handle first. She reached her hand out to grab it and closed her eyes, almost positive that somehow the thing would plant itself in her hand. She sighed with relief when she felt her fingers tighten around the handle. She smiled and thrust the hand holding the knife up in the air triumphantly.  
  
Her face twisted into a shocked expression when she felt the knife slipping out of her hand and flying up into the air. She looked up and saw the thing spinning around, end over end, in the air; it was coming down far to her left. She leaned over to the left and stretched her hand out as far as she could, reaching for the bladed device.  
  
"ACK!"  
  
She fell, grabbed the knife while in the air, and landed in an undignified heap on the ground.  
  
"OOMPH!"  
  
The elves turned around and looked at her. Erin laid there, butt sticking up in the air, face pressed into the dirt, arms stuck straight out behind her, clutching the knife.  
  
The Elves chuckled. Erin slowly pulled her arms up to her head, which was still pressed into the dirt, and placed her hands on either side of her head. She pushed herself up and looked a her horse, who seemed to be laughing at her.  
  
"Shut up Aegnor."  
  
She got to her feet, picked up the branch that she had dropped, and jumped on Aegnor's back.  
  
She stopped moving. She could feel something. Erin turned and looked behind them. Something was coming. The Elves heard something and turned. They tensed as they heard hoofbeats advancing on them. Erin looked to the Elves for some indication as to what was coming towards them, but they seemed to relax.  
  
Erin turned around and relaxed as well as she saw Esgalan approaching them. He rode up beside her.  
  
"Esgalan! What are you doing here?" she asked.  
  
"I was sent to make sure that you do not get into any trouble. I do not enjoy being a babysitter, but for you I have made an exception, since you always seem to be getting into trouble of some sort. Besides, this should prove to be interesting at least. Speaking of which, why are you covered in dirt?"  
  
The Elves began to laugh a bit again while Erin blushed.  
  
"Nevermind that. SO then, are you coming with us all the way? It will be nice to see a friendly face." On the word friendly Erin shot a look at the Elf who had snapped at her.  
  
Esgalan blinked owlishly at the glare the two shared.  
  
"Well I had not intended to, but if you wish I will accompany you as far as Rivendell. I have no prior engagements. But the journey after I do not know."  
  
Legoals gave him a look. Erin looked back and forth between the two.  
  
"What journey?"  
  
"I am afraid that I am not able to tell you that."  
  
Erin looked at him quizically. "Okaaaay.."  
  
"Since we have already stopped then it is best that we eat now," the Elf who had not yet spoken said. Was he trying to change the subject?  
  
They all dismounted their horses and began to get food out of their packs.  
  
"What are your names?" Erin asked the two Elves that she didn't know.  
  
"My name is Glorfindel," the quiet one said. Then the one she didn't like spoke.  
  
"I am Avarion." He seemed very cold towards her.  
  
"Well, my name is Erin." Avarion didn't seem to care as he went about his business, but Glorfindel walked up to her and took her hand, slowly raising it to his lips, and placed a light kiss on it. Erin blushed lightly.  
  
"The sun shines upon the day of our meeting, Erin," Glorfindel said.  
  
Erin blushed even more. Glorfindel released her hand and walke back to his pack, pulling some food from it, and began to eat. Erin walked back to her own pack and did the same, thinking about how nice Glorfindel was, and about how red her cheeks probably were.  
  
Esgalan walked up beside Erin and ate some of his own food.  
  
"You have your own food with you?" Erin asked.  
  
"Yes I brought it with me."  
  
"But I thought that you hadn't intended to travel with us." She gave him a suspicious look. "Interesting that you would bring food with you if you only expected to go back so soon."  
  
"Yes, quite interesting."  
  
Esgalan didn't look at her as he continued to eat his food.  
  
  
  
Erin wobbled back a bit on her horse. She was very tired. Her eyes kept shutting against her will, her head falling forward a bit, and then jerking back, jolting her awake. Night had long since fallen, and by now she would usually be asleep. She didn't want to complain though. She thought about reminding them that humans, unlike Elves, had to sleep some time, but dismissed it. She didn't want them to think that she was weak, which they would if she whined. She tried to think of something to keep her awake.  
  
Earlier she had carved a couple of knives out of the dead branch, but she was finished with that now and had nothing to do. Erin looked over at Esgalan. He was wide awake, as were the other Elves, constantly looking for any sign of danger. She didn't know what they were looking out for, and thought better of the idea to ask. If she knew then she would probably NEVER be able to sleep again. Her imagination would often run away with her. Sometimes that was a good thing, but other times it caused her to lose about a week of sleep.  
  
She was just about to nod off again when something came to her attention. Something she hadn't noticed previously. The woods were silent. She knew that most of the animals were asleep by now, but there were some that were awake at night, but not even they were making a noise. The Elves didn't seem to notice it too much. After all, they were listening to the forest for some sign that something was around them, or following them, they weren't listening for silence as she had learned to do that week she was alone. She was wide awake now, but too afraid to make a noise, even to let the others know what was going on.  
  
Erin stuck her hand out and motioned to Aegnor to walk quietly. She steered him over to Esgalan, then leaned over. She knew that Elves had incredible hearing, but she was going to have to speak so quietly that not even they would be able to hear it from more than a foot away.  
  
She put her mouth right next to his ear and whispered. "When I tell you to, make your horse run. I need you to run up to Avarion's horse and smack it to make it run too. I will do the same to Glorfindel and Legolas."  
  
Esgalan noted that she wanted him to be very quiet. "But why? If this is some type of trick I don't think that we should-"  
  
Erin cut him off. "For one, I'm too tired to pull a practical joke right now, and for two, I know that this would not be the time. Enough of talk! This is important. Please just trust me and do it. Something is following us. It followed me for days when I first got here. I do not know what it wants but I do know that it will be the death of us all if we do not get away. Are you ready?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Then GO!" Erin yelled.  
  
"Noro!" Esgalan yelled to his horse. It broke into a run. He ran up beside Avarion and screamed the same to his horse.  
  
Erin caught that noro meant run and ran between Legolas and Glorfindel. She turned to each of their horses and shouted. "NORO!"  
  
The horses broke into a run, looking at her for direction. The Elves turned to her. Legoals opened his mouth to speak but Erin cut him off.  
  
"Just run! Trust me! Run for your life!" The Elves took the hint that this was not the time for questions and urged their horses on.  
  
Erin heard something and turned around, as did all the Elves. Something was behind them. It was too dark in the forest to see, but Erin could tell that it was gaining on them.  
  
"Noro lim! Noro lim!" Erin screamed to all of the horses. They picked up the pace, racing past the trees, and weaving through them. The thing was close enough now that she could make out its outline, but she still had no idea what the creature was. She turned to Glorfindel who was riding right beside her and yelled over the wind their speed was causing.  
  
"Do you know what that is?"  
  
"I am afraid that I do not. Even I cannot tell in this darkness. It looks to be just a blur. If it were light I am sure we could see it!" Glorfindel yelled back.  
  
"No! It always looks like that! I was just wondering if you knew what it was! I am not from here, so I just figured that it was some of the native wildlife!" Erin yelled over the wind. Glorfindel gave her an amused look, then got serious again, trying to get his horse to run faster.  
  
Erin turned back to Aegnor and did the same. She looked over to Legolas, then to Avarion, then she looked for Esgalan. Where was he? She looked behind them. Esgalan was in the back of all of them, about five feet in front of the creature. His horse couldn't seem to keep up with the rest. It was a mare and had less muscle than all of the rest. The creature was going to kill Esgalan.  
  
A protective instinct washed over Erin. Once again, something was trying to hurt one of her friends. She would allow it. She motioned to Aegnor to slow down. He seemed to give her a skeptical look.  
  
"Just do it!" Even though she had spoken in english he seemed to get the message. Aegnor slowed down. The other horses whipped past them. She was now right along side Esgalan. The creature was closer to them, now only about four feet away.  
  
"Esgalan! Jump onto Aegnor! Your horse cannot keep up!"  
  
"You wish me to sacrifice the life of my horse?"  
  
"I'm sorry! But it is either your life, or your horse's!"  
  
"It is only my weight keeping her down! She could get away on her own!"  
  
"Then get onto Aegnor! Tell her to veer off into the woods as soon as you get off! The creature will not chase her! It will come after us. Do not worry! She will be fine!"  
  
Esgalan seemed to agree as he leaned down and said something to the horse. The horse ran closer to Aegnor. Esgalan stood up on her back and jumped over to Aegnor. He slid down behind Erin and grabbed onto her waist. The other horse veered off into the woods. Erin found that she was correct as the creature ignored the horse and continued after her. Then she realized that very fact.  
  
"SHIT!" she screamed as she realized that the creature was now a mere two feet behind them, almost able to reach out and grab her or Esgalan.  
  
She kicked Aegnor in the sides, and once again he picked up the pace. She looked in front of them. Legolas, Glofindel, and Avarion were about thirty feet in front of them. Slowly, Aegnor seemed to pull farther away from the creature, until they were about eight feet in front of it. The creature let out that horrible screech that she had heard earlier. She clapped her hands over her ears, squeezing her eyes shut in pain. Esgalan did the same.  
  
Although she did not have the hearing of an Elf, she still had very sensitive hearing, especially to something as high pitched as this. Because of an ear infection she had as a child her hearing had been altered. She was able to hear more than other people, but loud, high pitched noised would make her ears bleed. There was a possibility she could go deaf.  
  
Tears involuntarily started to slide down her cheeks as her ears began to bleed. She could feel the creature smiling as it realized what it was doing to her. The noise got louder and higher. She pressed her hands more tightly to her ears, trying to block out the noise as best as she could. It was not working. The noise couldn't do more damage if she hadn't had her hands there at all.  
  
Esgalan looked down at her, realizing that this was hurting her more than him.  
  
He squeezed Aegnor's sides, trying to let him know that his master was being injured. Aegnor seemed to be in a lot of pain as well, but none of them were suffering like Erin was. Making a decision, Esgalan took his hands off of his own ears and placed them over Erin's. He screamed from the pain in his ears, but kept his hands over hers. He felt her body go limp as she passed out.  
  
Esgalan used one of his hands to turn her around on the horse, so that she was sitting sideways, then pressed one of her ears to his chest, trying to block the noise. He took his other hand and placed it over her exposed ear. Her hands had fallen limp to her sides. Esgalan screamed again in pain as the sound seemed to raise another octave. He kicked Aegnor once more. This time the horse seemed to realize that everything depended on him hurrying.  
  
Aegnor put all of his strength into running faster, not saving anything for later. They pulled farther away from the creature. The thing seemed to give up as it just stopped and disappeared from sight. Esgalan let out the breath that he was holding as the sound stopped. He could hear a loud ringing in his ears.  
  
He looked in front of them at the rest of the Elves. Aegnor was catching up to them. They ran up alongside Legolas and Esgalan turned and yelled to him.  
  
"Legolas! We need to stop as soon as possible! That creature's scream has wounded Erin! I am afraid that it may be very serious! She is bleeding from her head!" Legolas looked over to Erin's limp form.  
  
"What happened? She was just suddenly behind us! Where is your horse?"  
  
"I will explain everything later! But we need to find someplace safe!"  
  
Legolas nodded and looked in front of them, searching for a place to stop.  
  
They stopped about fifteen minutes later when they found the house up in the trees that once belonged to a man named Valata who was now dead. The jumped off of their horses and told them to stay there, climbing up into the trees. Esgalan carried Erin up the tree, handing her to Legolas to pull her up into the house. He jumped up into the house as soon as they had gotten Erin in there and kneeled beside her.  
  
Legolas kneeled down on her other side. "What happened?"  
  
Esgalan looked over Erin for other wounds as he talked. "My horse was a mare and could not keep up with you. Erin saw this and slowed down to get me. My horse ran off into the woods, after I jumped on behind Erin, to safety. We did not notice that the creature had gained. When Erin found out she sped Aegnor up. This seemed to anger the creature and it screamed. When it realized that this hurt Erin it screamed louder, and higher. Her ears began to bleed. I tried to block the noise from her ears but she passed out."  
  
"What is wrong with her?"  
  
"I do not know. I do not believe that I have seen something like this before."  
  
They stopped talking as Esgalan moved to the top of her body, pulling Erin's head into his lap, and examining her ears. He looked closely as the sides off her face where blood had run down from her ears and dried. He looked at the inside of her ears, where the blood had formed a giant clot, sealing them off.  
  
"We need to get the dried blood out of her ears. If she is still bleeding then it could permanently damage her hearing to have it all building up in her ears," Esgalan said. "I need some water and cloth."  
  
Legolas opened his pack and pulled out a container with water in it, then ripped a piece off of one of his tunics. Esgalan took these from him and poured the water over her ears, taking the cloth and slowly wiping the blood out of her ears. Slowly he got all of it out.  
  
"All we can do now is wait for her to wake up. If she is not awake by morning then you may leave us here. I will tend to her and we will catch up later. But now we should take our rest while we can. I will stay up and watch her."  
  
Glorfindel and Avarion settled down to sleep, but Legolas did not move.  
  
"You wish to stay up with her as well?" Esgalan asked.  
  
"Yes I do. Why did she do this? She always puts her life in danger."  
  
"It just seems to be her way. She is reckless, but strong. I am sure that she will be fine." Esgalan smiled reassuringly at him. They both looked down at Erin's peaceful form.  
  
She could hear a loud ringing. It seemed to be splitting her head wide open. Erin slowly opened her eyes. She looked around as the ringing began to die down to a low hum. At least she could hear something. She saw a roof above her head. She closed her eyes again. What had happened? It slowly came back to her as she opened her eyes again. Why was she inside a house?  
  
She turned her head to her left and saw the sleeping form of Esgalan a few feet away. Past him was Glorfindel and Avarion. She turned her head to her right and almost jumped clear out of her skin when her eyes met a pair of open blue eyes a mere inch away. Her head jerked back a bit. She stared at Legolas.  
  
'Why is he just staring at me?' she thought. She calmed down a bit as she remembered that Elves slept with their eyes open. Legolas had his right arm draped over her waist, his body pressed tightly against hers. She looked at him, confusion in her eyes, but then shrugged it off. She slowly sat up, Legolas' hand falling to his side. Erin stared at him, the whole sleeping with his eyes open thing creeped her out. She looked outside.  
  
There was the kind of darkness that you get just before the dawn. She had been out for a while. That was not good. The creature could have easily found them by now. What had happened to it anyway? Oh well, not time to worry about it now.  
  
Erin stood shakily and walked over to Esgalan's sleeping form. She reached down and shook him lightly. His eyes seemed to clear as he woke up.  
  
"Oh. Erin. You are awake. How do you feel?"  
  
"Just fine I suppose but shouldn't we be going? That thing could have found us by now. If it catches us like this then-"  
  
"Do not worry about that. If it does come we are all here to fight it. We should be leaving though or we will be late."  
  
"Is there something special that we have to be in Rivendell for? You guys are always talking about being late."  
  
"I am afraid that I cannot tell you about that."  
  
Erin gave him the look.  
  
"Fine! I will tell you, but not now. Help me get the others up."  
  
Erin walked over to Legolas and shook his shoulders, her face a foot away from his. His eyes cleared and focused on her face.  
  
"Erin? You are okay?"  
  
"You guys really need to stop worrying about me! I'm fine! It takes MUCH more than that to hurt me."  
  
Another voice cut in. "Yes it seems that we can hardly get rid of you."  
  
Erin looked over to Avarion who had a serious look on his face. His expression broke into a smile.  
  
"Before I thought that you were just an immature child, but you have earned my respect. I am at your service." Avarion reached for her hand and kissed it. Erin blushed furiously.  
  
Legolas coughed not so subtly and motioned that they should leave.  
  
One by one they climbed down the tree.  
  
"What are the riding arrangements going to be?" Erin asked. The Elves seemed to look amongst one another.  
  
"We will switch from day to day. It is still as least a weeks journey to Rivendell," Legolas said.  
  
"Oh, okay. Esgalan you can ride with me today," Erin said.  
  
Esgalan hopped up onto Aegnor.  
  
Erin looked at Aegnor skeptically. "What is with you today Aegnor? Just letting anybody get up on your back are you?"  
  
Aegnor stamped his foot at her and threw his head back.  
  
"I commend you Esgalan, it seems he likes you."  
  
Esgalan smiled at Erin as she hopped up in front of him.  
  
"Oh so you get the front do you?"  
  
"Of course I do, I'm a lady."  
  
"A lady are you? You certainly don't act like one."  
  
"What is that supposed to mean?"  
  
"Exactly what I said."  
  
"I am incredibly lady-like."  
  
"I am sure."  
  
"You wanna fight scrawny Elf-man?"  
  
"You call that acting like a lady?"  
  
They all began to head off, Erin and Esgalan continuing their mock argument.  
  
"Well at least I know how to fight."  
  
"Are you suggesting that I don't?"  
  
"That is exactly what I am suggesting."  
  
"Oh. I was just checking."  
  
"So.Esgalan.. Got a girlfriend?"  
  
Esgalan blushed. "Why do you ask?"  
  
"Because." Then Erin smiled devilishly, remembering something that she had heard once. She could say it in Elvish now. How deliciously naughty. Erin turned and looked into Esgalan's eyes.  
  
"Esgalan?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Amin merna lle, Amin antan lle, aiya laes, aiya laes."  
  
Esgalan's face turned a bright red. He looked surprising like a tomato.  
  
Legolas turned to Glorfindel. He hadn't been paying much attention to Erin's conversation and was wondering why Esgalan was bright red.  
  
"What did she say?" Legolas asked.  
  
"She said: I want you, I need you, oh baby, oh baby." Glorfindel said matter of factly.  
  
"Oh. Well that would explain a lot."  
  
Erin burst out into laughter at Esgalan. "You actually believed me?"  
  
Esgalan seemed to be confused for a moment, then he realized that she was being sarcastic.  
  
"I did not believe you."  
  
"Yeah sure ya didn't, that's why you're blushing so badly?"  
  
"I am not blushing."  
  
"Yeah, uh huh."  
  
"You did not fool me."  
  
"Okay." Erin gave him an I-don't-believe-you-but-I'm-going-to-give-you-this- look-to-make-you-feel-stupid look.  
  
"Yeah well I still say you act like a man."  
  
"I do not!"  
  
"I am a perfect lady, a delicate flower, a-"  
  
Erin was cut short as she was smacked in the head by a low branch.  
  
"What were you going to say?" Esgalan asked, looking quite amused.  
  
"Shut up Esgalan." 


	12. Let the Games Begin

Erin sat and grumbled. This was the last time she ever volunteered for anything. It was nearly pitch black out, with no moon. They had traveled all day and even the Elves had been exhausted, so of course, she, trying to be the nice one, offered to take the first watch. Boy was that a mistake. She had finally given in to pacing the forest floor in order to avoid falling asleep. None of them would ever trust her to take watch again if she did that.  
  
It had been chilly before, but it was outright cold now that the wind had begun to blow.  
  
"What a smart one you are," she mumbled. "Of course. I just HAD to say that I would do it. Legolas offered but noooooo... I had to be the tough little woman and do it!" She tried to remain fairly quiet through her rantings so as not to take the Elves, who laid peacefully on the ground.  
  
"Oh yeah, look at you guys. Ooooh, lookie me!" she mocked, "I'm an Elf and I don't get cold. I'm perfect, always sexy, don't get sick, can walk silently, rarely need rest, am able to hide anywhere, AND I can SLEEP with my EYES OPEN!!!" She stopped and panted, checking to make sure that she hadn't woken them. She looked at Esgalan, then to Legolas.  
  
It seemed that the latter was looking at her, but she wouldn't fall for that again. She knew he was just sleeping. Erin smirked at her obvious intelligence for being able to figure that out.  
  
"What are you doing?" a voice said.  
  
"AAHHHHH!" Erin screamed and fell over.  
  
She looked in the direction the voice had come from and saw Legolas, then she looked around at all of the other Elves who were now staring at her.  
  
She laughed nervously.  
  
"Oh I'm not doing one single thing. Heh heh. You can all go back to sleep now. Heh."  
  
All of them laid back down and returned to their slumber except for Legolas. He stood and walked over to her, offering his hand to help her up.  
  
"Thanks," she said, taking it and leaping to her feet.  
  
"I ask again, what were you doing?"  
  
"Not much, just thinking."  
  
"Something you would like to talk about?"  
  
"No, I was just cold, and made a promise to myself that was spurred by my being cold."  
  
"What promise?" Legolas asked, his eyes full of curiosity.  
  
"Oh, just never to volunteer for anything again."  
  
"Oh, well as to you being cold, here," he handed her his cloak. She took it gratefully and thanked him.  
  
"I do have a question for you though," Erin said.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Sometimes you seem lost in thought. Sad even. I was just wondering why. That is, of course, if you don't mind me asking."  
  
Legolas turned and smiled at her. "That is a story that has not been told for a long time." His eyes seemed to get that far away look again, as though he were lost in thought. She waited patiently for him to continue, not wanting to push it, until finally he began.  
  
"It was a long time ago, during the war of Eleven. There were two visitors to Mirkwood, which was surprising, because there had not been for some time. It was then that I met Ladhwen."  
  
Erin shuddered involuntarily when she heard that name.  
  
"She would visit me often, telling me of her land. She was an Elf, but she was unlike any other I had ever met before. She had a strange mark on her neck, one that looked like an open eye. It was a small oval with a dot in the middle. I think it was a scar, but from what I do not know."  
  
Erin's eyes widened.  
  
"We knew each other for only a year, but that was enough. We loved each other. Her friend left one day, what happened to her I did not know. But then, one day she reappeared and told me something about Ladhwen. When I approached her about it we fought, and she ran away from me. I had a terrible feeling and ran to find her. When I got there it was too late. I found her, but she was dead."  
  
Erin's eyes widened but she continued to listen intently. Legolas seemed to be having difficulty telling this story.  
  
"When I held her something strange happened. Her scar disappeared. It was as though it was carried off into the wind. I do not know why I did not die. I should have, right then, of a broken heart."  
  
Legolas finished and they both sat in silence. A few tears slipped down Erin's cheeks. She was strong, but she could really be a girl sometimes, not to mention, she was a sucker for stories.  
  
She launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck, and hugging him tightly. His eyes widened in shock at first, but then they softened into a smile. He gingerly placed his hands on her back, and squeezed her a bit.  
  
"That is so horrible. I'm so sorry! I feel somehow responsible for this!" She cried a bit more, but began to control herself. Legolas smiled warmly.  
  
"How could you possibly be responsible for this? You were not even here. I do not believe you were even alive."  
  
Erin released him and continued to sniffle a bit, her head bent down. Legolas reached down and lifted her chin.  
  
"That's better, stop crying. It's really okay."  
  
Erin looked up to his eyes. They stared at each other for a moment, Legolas' head slowly drew closer to hers. She looked at his lips, then back up to his eyes, which were now focusing on hers. He slowly moved closer to her. She could feel his warm breath on her lips. She breathed deeply, shuddering a bit, anticipating the kiss.  
  
CRACK!  
  
Both of their heads snapped towards the bushes.  
  
"Who is there?" Legolas called.  
  
Slowly they saw three figures begin to rise from the bushes. There stood Glorfindel, Avarion, and Esgalan, sheepish looks on their faces. Erin and Legolas blushed a deep crimson. The three Elves snickered slightly, stepping out of the bushes and back to their camp.  
  
Legolas and Erin blushed even more, then the Elves broke into full blown laughter, walking back to their beds, Legolas walking back to his as well.  
  
Erin walked up to the back of Esgalan who was laying down, shaking with laughter. Erin glared down at him and planted a swift kick on his butt.  
  
"Ow!" he yelled slightly, while still laughing.  
  
"Since I'm guessing that was YOUR idea you can take the watch now," she said firmly. He grumbled a bit and sat up to take watch. Erin settled down in her own bed and drifted easily off to sleep, dreaming of her revenge.  
  
"Ha! Yeah, that's what you get...ha ha! I told you I would get even.." Erin smiled in her sleep. Esgalan looked down at her, as did the other Elves. They reached into their packs and retrieved their food, eating it slowly.  
  
"Do you think we should wake her?" Glorfindel asked.  
  
"I wouldn't, she seems to be having pleasant dreams," Esgalan said.  
  
"Yes, pleasant dreams about her revenge on you..." Avarion muttered, a sly smile on his face.  
  
Esgalan looked at Erin, concern on his face for his possible plotting.  
  
"Yes...Ha!..take that!.." Erin muttered happily in her sleep.  
  
"Okay, time to wake her up!" Esgalan said hurriedly. He walked over to her and shook her lightly.  
  
"Erin, wake up, we need to leave."  
  
"Oh, going to fight back are you..I will smote you..you will be smote.." she grumbled.  
  
Esgalan leaned close to her face, only a few inches away, took a deep breath, and screamed.  
  
"Erin wake up!"  
  
She shot straight up, knocking her forehead into him, causing himt o topple backwards, landing on his butt.  
  
"Ow!" she said loudly, while rubbing her forehead. Esgalan rubbed his own forehead, slowly getting to his feet again.  
  
"I have come to a decision," Esgalan paused, waiting for the Elves to control their laughter. "Erin, you are a serious hazard to my health."  
  
"And you to mine," she said. She sat up slowly and stood, walking over to Aegnor, and patted him on the head. "Are we going to go yet?" she asked.  
  
"Don't you wish to eat first?" Legolas asked.  
  
"No, I'm not really hungry. Besides, I have an idea to make this trip a little more fun."  
  
"What kind of an idea?" Esgalan asked suspiciously.  
  
"That...is a secret." Erin smiled.  
  
"It will be a short time before we leave," Legolas said.  
  
"Okay, well I'll just walk around a bit-"  
  
"That is not safe," Legolas said, looking at her with concern.  
  
"Don't worry, I will be fine."  
  
"That is what you thought last time."  
  
Erin stopped and thought. "Fine then. Will one of you come with me?" She looked around at them. Glorfindel, Avarion, and Esgalan seemed to suddenly be very interested in their surroundings. She looked at Legolas. He smiled and walked over to her.  
  
"I will go with you," he said.  
  
She smiled brightly. "Okay then, but will you do me a favor first?"  
  
"Yes, what is it?"  
  
"Close your eyes for a second."  
  
He did so. She looked at him devilishly, then turned and ran away. Legolas opened his eyes and watched her retreating form, then it clicked in his mind what she was doing. He ran after her into the moods. She was so playful and childlike.  
  
He ran into a small clearing and looked around. She was nowhere. The wind blew as he looked around. He guessed that she probably jumped into one of the trees, so he looked up at all of the leaves, trying to see if any of them were moving against the wind. None of them were.  
  
'She is smarter than that,' he thought.  
  
A movement caught his eye. He didn't turn his head though, he didn't wish her to know that he knew where she was. He smiled very slightly. She was making it so obvious, but she was probably doing it on purpose. He turned and acted as though he had not seen it, slowly walking around the back of a tree, so that she could not see him.  
  
He backed away from it, keeping the tree in her line of vision, so that she would not be aware of what he was doing.  
  
Erin smiled at Legolas. Her plan had worked; he thought that she was in the other tree when, in fact, he was coming directly towards the tree she was in. All she had to do was through a branch into the other tree, it didn't make much of a noise, he just saw the movement. This would make surprising him a lot easier.  
  
He backed up against another tree, then turned and climbed up into it. She wouldn't expect him to be up in the trees. He moved quietly to one of the branches so that he could see up into the other tree.  
  
A confused look spread across his face. That movement could not have been made from an animal, it had to have been intentional. He heard a small movement and quickly turned around. There, six inches from his face, was a smiling Erin. He jerked back. However, this small movement was just enough to cause him to slide slightly back on the branch. He was careful in his balance, easily staying on the branch.  
  
Erin, on the other hand, didn't have quite such a talent. She was on the same branch as him now. She shifted her weight, attempting to get more comfortable.  
  
"Watch out!" Legolas called quickly, but it was too late. When she had shifted her weight she had failed to realize that there was no more branch behind her to shift on to. She began to topple backwards.  
  
Legolas reached out and grabbed her hand, momentarily stopping her plummet to the ground, but when he had grabbed her, her sudden stop in momentum had jerked him far forward on the branch. His feet were barely on the branch. Legolas looked at Erin. He was about to give her a relieved look that they had not both fallen when he noticed the expression on her face.  
  
She was staring in horror at something behind him. He turned around slowly and saw a squirrel, a small, fluffy, grey squirrel, holding a nut. It moved around a bit, quite nervously, its ears turning this way and that, listening to the sounds around them.  
  
Legolas turned back to Erin, a look of fear still on her face. "It's okay Erin, it is just a squirrel. What could it...possibly..." he stopped, his face draining of all color. He turned back around and looked at the squirrel, his eyes wide. The creature twitched a bit more, its eyes darting around the forest. It focused on Legolas.  
  
"No." he whispered. It hopped towards him, still holding its nut.  
  
"No." he said more urgently as it hopped up onto his back, moving towards his face. All of their weight began to shift, slowly tipping further forward. It hopped right up to his face, adding just enough weight for them to fall forward, off of the branch. They flew through the air, crashing through a couple of branches.  
  
The squirrel clung tightly to Legolas' face, digging its claws into his head, letting go of its nut, eyes wide, and screeching. Its little body began to fly up from Legolas' quickly falling form, its back legs flying up into the air, its front paws clutching more tightly to Legolas. The wind pushed on its body greatly, and would have slowed its fall, if it hadn't been for the fact that its claws were dug into Legolas' cheeks. Its claws began to slide up his cheeks as the wind pulled on it more, causing long scratches to be raked up his face.  
  
They landed on the ground with a loud thud. The squirrel hopped up, grabbed its nut, which had landed a few feet away, looked back at them once, and then scampered off. Erin's eyes were squeezed shut. She could feel someone's breath on her neck. She slowly opened her eyes, only to see Legolas staring right back at her. She froze.  
  
He stared down at her, unmoving, his body splayed across hers. They had no immediate facial expressions. He slowly leaned down, and very lightly, he kissed her. She barely felt it. It was brief, and just barely brushed her own lips. He pulled his head back and looked at her.  
  
Slowly, he got up, reaching his hand out to help her up. Her face was a bright red as she took his hand and stood up. She straightened out her dress and looked him in the eyes. He seemed to be watching her, trying to see what her reaction was.  
  
She scolded herself silently for the way that she was reacting to this. She had been kissed by a boy before..wait...no she hadn't. She liked him though, so why was she blushing so badly?  
  
She looked up at him again and smiled. He seemed relieved by her reaction. Her smile widened as she ran past him, continuing their game. She ran into a small clearing with tall grass and crouched down in the middle. She wiggled around a bit, trying to look up through the lush, green grass without being seen. She saw Legolas run into the clearing in her direction. He stopped and looked around, a bit of a smile on his face, then called out to her.  
  
"I know you are here, Erin, hiding somewhere in the grass, and when I catch you I get to claim a prize. Okay?"  
  
She jumped up in the grass. "Okay! You may do with me what you will, that is, if you can catch me!" She smiled and ran away from him. He ran after her quickly. She knew she couldn't outrun him, and she certainly couldn't outmaneuver him, but maybe she could outsmart him.  
  
She ran for the edge of the clearing. If she could just make it to the trees before he caught up with her. Behind her, Legolas was catching up. She noticed this and sped up as she got another shot of adrenaline. He was still catching up to her. Just ten more feet to the trees; he was five feet behind her.  
  
Now only five feet to the trees; he was four feet behind her, then she was in front of the first tree. Without losing any momentum, or slowing down, she jumped up and grabbed the first branch she could. She used the momentum of her speed to swing her body up and around the branch, letting go of it as she came back down, and landed behind Legolas.  
  
He hadn't seen this coming and had kept running for a moment. This whole move had occurred in less than a second. She was one foot behind Legolas. Eirn jumped on his back as he continued running, wrapping her legs around his waste, and her arms around his shoulders.  
  
He stumbled a bit from her sudden weight. Erin unwrapped one of her legs and tripped him, sending them both toppling to the ground. They rolled a bit in the grass, which was still quite tall even amongst the trees.  
  
Erin laughed as did Legolas. They wrestled a bit before Erin was finally able to pin Legolas on his back. She sat on his stomach, a broad smile spread across her face at her triumph. Legolas smiled back at her, swinging them around so that he was on top.  
  
He looked down at her, his smile now wider.  
  
"Looks like I have caught you," he said.  
  
Erin continued to smile and pulled his own move on him. She was now straddling his stomach once again.  
  
"Looks like I have caught you," she said, a sly smile on her face.  
  
She leaned down close to his face, her hair falling over her shoulders and around her head, creating a veil around both of their faces. His expression turned a little more serious, while she continued to smile.  
  
Her grin seemed to be catching as he felt one begin to play its way across his face. She leaned down further and placed a quick kiss on his lips. He smiled more as she rolled off of him and stood, reaching her hand out to him, this time helping him off of the ground.  
  
"We should probably be going now, shouldn't we?" Erin asked.  
  
"Yes I suppose we should," Legolas said.  
  
They slowly walked back to the other Elves. Esgalan gave Erin a devilish look. She ignored him and walked over to Aegnor, hopping op on top of his back. They all mounted their horses and began to walk off again, as a slight mist formed in between the trees. Esgalan steered his horse, which had returned during the night, towards her, leaning towards her slightly.  
  
"What were you two doing back in the woods? You were gone for quite some time, and you look quite disheveled."  
  
Erin glared at him playfully. "Oh you know, the usual, having hot, nasty, kinky, monkey sex in the bushes." Esgalan stared at her in shock. That was a reaction he certainly hadn't expected. "Your attempts to tease me have failed."  
  
"So what was this game that you were speaking of?" Glorfindel asked.  
  
"Oh yeah, that. Hold on a second." They waited as she ripped a small piece of cloth off of the under-dress she was wearing. "Okay, let me explain the rules. I will hang this piece of cloth from the branch of a tree, then we will all line up about a hundred feet away and race to it. The first person to get there grabs it, but that doesn't make you the winner. There will be a point a mile to five miles away we have to race to. The point is to get the cloth from one another, the first person to get to that far away point holding the cloth wins. Got it?"  
  
"Are there any other rules?" Glorfindel asked.  
  
"Well, we aren't trying to kill each other, so please do refrain from knocking each other off of their horses. You can't put the cloth anywhere inappropriate, it has to be in one of you hands at all times.Oh, and please be careful."  
  
Erin smiled at them. "So would you guys like to play?" They all nodded. "Alright then, I'll ride up there and put the cloth on that branch, stay where you are."  
  
She rode up to a tree quite a ways in front of them and hung the cloth from a branch that was eye level with most of them. She trotted back to the group and lined them all up, side by side. "We will race to that point, I would say it's about four miles away." She was referring to a fairly large clearing off in the distance. "Ready?" she asked.  
  
They all gave varying replies of confirmation. "Then go!" she yelled.  
  
All of them were off like a shot, racing towards the cloth. Aegnor knew what gave they were playing and had experience, so Erin had a slight advantage. Although she had an advantage it turned out that Glorfindel's horse was faster. He pulled in front of them as they approached the cloth. As they all flew by, he snatched the cloth and rode on, holding it tightly. Erin rode up beside him, and snatched it away, letting Aegnor know that they now had the cloth so he needed to hurry up.  
  
Aegnor got the message and ran faster, pulling away a bit from the rest. Erin, who was focusing on the spot in front of her, didn't notice Avarion slowly getting closer to her. She noticed his presence when he grabbed for the cloth, she jerked away from him, almost losing her balance, and ducked as they passed a low branch. Legolas ran up on her other side and snatched the cloth away. She turned to him, a little shocked. She didn't realize he was close enough to reach it.  
  
She watched him as he pulled ahead. An idea struck her. She gave a signal to Aegnor. He reared up slightly and kicked his hind legs against the ground, giving them another spurt of speed. She was now diagonal from Legolas. She nodded to Aegnor and rose to a standing position on his back. She balanced carefully as she walked forward a bit, then jumped over to Legolas' horse, snatching the cloth away from him.  
  
Her weight leaving her own horse and going to his slowed his horse, and allowed hers to speed up. Aegnor was slightly in front of them. Standing quickly, so that Legolas could not get an idea as to what she was doing she jumped back to Aegnor. Legolas smiled devilishly at her.  
  
"That was a daring move, Erin."  
  
She turned around and smiled at him. She didn't realize that this was only meant to distract her. She realized it, though, as Esgalan tore the cloth from her hands. She turned to him and laughed.  
  
"You Elves are much better at this than regular humans. You make it a lot more fun!" they were all having to scream over the wind that their speed was causing. She ran over to Glorfindel, steering Aegnor alongside him. She leaned over close to his ear.  
  
"What do you say us two call a temporary truce and get the cloth from Aegnor? We will create our own little team."  
  
"Do you have a specific plan?"  
  
"As a matter of fact I do." She leaned over and whispered the plan to him. His eyes twinkled a bit in delight at it. They both nodded to each other and parted, running up along either side of Esgalan and Legolas, who seemed to have formed their own alliance.  
  
"That's right! You guys team up and leave me all by myself!" Avarion called. "That is okay, I will do just fine by myself!" he laughed and continued on.  
  
Glorfindel and Erin positioned themselves for the operation. Esgalan had the cloth held high in the air, waving it around in triumph. Erin looked over at Glorfindel and nodded, that was the signal. She stood on Aegnor's back, then crouched down, ready to spring. Then she did just that, diving over Esgalan's head, snatching the cloth from his hand, and flying towards Glorfindel, who caught her easily and swung her down in front of him onto his horse.  
  
Erin laughed wickedly at the expression on everyone's faces. They had covered about a mile and a half by now at their high speeds. Aegnor ran over to Glorfindel's side so sat Erin could jump on top of him. She did so carefully and urged Aegnor in front of the others. Her and Glorfindel were side by side at a dead run for the finish, even though it was still a ways off.  
  
Time seemed to lapse a bit as they all ran for the finish. Minutes seemed like hours. Everyone seemed to be slowly gaining on them, their horses panting heavily. Then, seeming like he came from nowhere, Avarion blew past them, snatching the cloth away, and pulling far out in front of them. Where did he get that sudden burst of speed? He was about twenty feet in front of them.  
  
In this game if you got that far ahead there wasn't much of a chance that people would catch up. Erin didn't want to lose. Aegnor seemed to love the game as well as he tried his hardest to catch up. They were gaining, but very slowly. They were at three and a half miles now, quickly approaching the finish line.  
  
She was only five feet behind Avarion now. She tried to use her own will to make them go faster, which seemed to transfer to Aegnor. They were alongside Avarion now; the finish line was twenty feet away. They were just about to break into the clearing. She reached her hand out to grab the cloth, but he saw her and switched the cloth to his other hand. Then they passed the finish line. Avarion had won.  
  
He jumped off of his horse as the others rode up and bowed slightly. "You see, you leave me all alone, team up with each other, just forget that I'm even there, and I win in the end. Team work is not always best." He smiled triumphantly.  
  
"Yeah, Avarion, we know," Erin said wistfully. She had lost her own game. Oh well, she would ask for a rematch later. Now they were tired, their adrenaline long since used up. He jumped back on his horse and handed Erin the cloth.  
  
"Oh well, let us be off now. At least this got us further more quickly," Erin said. Then they all rode off at a walk, Avarion beaming triumphantly. 


	13. Tongue Lashing

A/N: WARNING! If you like Arwen, then beware. I am afraid that I don't particularly care for that woman.  
  
Erin looked up at the large gates of Rivendell. The whole sight made her jaw drop. They were on their horses standing in front of it, Erin wondering why the gates weren't opening. Somebody called something from inside the gates, then seemed to be waiting for a reply.  
  
Legolas quickly called back, Erin could only recognize the word Elrond, then the gates opened. They had finally reached the Elven city after about two weeks of traveling. She had grown so tired of just riding a horse day after day. Sometime during their travels Glorfindel had to ride ahead for some unknown reason. All he had let on was that someone was in need of assistance from him. She had not seen him since.  
  
They walked through the gates and into a garden like area, they dismounted their horses, some Elves walking up and leading the horses away. Someone walked up to them.  
  
"If you will follow me I will bring you to your quarters." Then he began to lead them off. When they reached the rooms a female Elf approached them, leading the male Elves to a different area.  
  
The female smiled at Legolas, taking his arm and leading him off. Erin glared at the retreating form of the woman, memorizing her face for future references. Someone tapped her on the shoulder, indicating that she should follow him. He led her to a room and walked her in, leaving a few moments later.  
  
She plopped down on the bed and sighed. She really didn't like that woman. Then she scolded herself inwardly; she was making such a rash decision about a woman she didn't even know. Erin decided that she would forget about her for now and go for a walk, happy to have some time to herself after two weeks of being around four male Elves constantly.  
  
Oh well, better four male Elves than four females; she had a tendency to not get along with women very well. She stood and walked out the door, closing it quietly behind her and walking to a garden. There was a stone bench placed directly in the middle of a round garden.  
  
The garden consisted of a circular wall of trees, bushes, and flowers, all exquisite, with short, but thick grass covering the ground. There were two openings in the sides of the plant walls, with a walkway of smooth stones placed from one opening to the other. She loved this place.  
  
This was the perfect place to think; it was in the middle of everything, yet isolated. She sat slowly on the bench, looking at the flowers on vines that wove their way up along the trees. This entire place was so exotic; it had an entirely different feet about it.  
  
She closed her eyes, breathing the sweet air in deeply. There was a very slight breeze that played with the ends of her hair. She felt a light tap on her shoulder. Guessing that it was just one of the Elves she had been traveling with, she turned around, a happy grin on her face. When she saw a man eye level with her, while she was sitting, she jumped a bit.  
  
Erin looked the man up and down, from the curly hair on his head, all the way to the curly hair on his bare feet.  
  
"Sorry, but what exactly are you? I mean not to be rude and all, but I'm not sure that I've ever seen anything, I mean anybody like you before," she said a bit nervously, stumbling over her words.  
  
The small man laughed. "Oh, no need to worry! I'm a hobbit! My name is Peregrine Took, but you can call me Pippin if ya like!" he said enthusiastically, a bright, carefree grin on is face.  
  
"Hello!" she said, nearly as enthusiastic as him. "My name is-" she was cut off as another hobbit ran up to Pippin.  
  
"Hi Pip, what are ya doin?"  
  
"I was just waiting for this lovely lady to tell me her name, before you interrupted!" Pippin said.  
  
"Oh, well, carry on then."  
  
Erin laughed a bit, she really like these hobbits. "My name is Erin."  
  
"Oh hello there Erin!" the other hobbit said.  
  
"Yes, hello to ya!" Pippin said.  
  
"And what my your name be?" she asked, indicating to the one next to Pippin.  
  
"My name is Merriadoc Brandybuck, but you can call me Merry!"  
  
"Alright then Merry and Pippin, are you busy at the moment?"  
  
"No, not really," Merry said.  
  
"Would you fine gentlemen accompany me on a walk perhaps. Maybe you could show me around, since I have just arrived here."  
  
The two hobbits smiled. "Of course we would!"  
  
  
  
The three of them crouched down in the bushes, spying, although Erin had argued that it wasn't technically spying, on some Elves. One the Elves they were "spying" on was the woman that had angered her.  
  
"What is that woman's name?" she whispered as quietly as she could.  
  
"Oh, that is Arwen, Elrond's daughter," Merry answered.  
  
"Elrond? Who is that? I've heard that name spoken before."  
  
"Elrond is the leader of the Elves in Rivendell. He is half Elven," Pippin said.  
  
"Half Elven?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"What is Arwen like?" Erin asked.  
  
"I don't know much about her, she is engaged to Strider."  
  
"Strider? Who is he? I don't know any of these people."  
  
"Strider traveled with us here."  
  
They all slowly walked away form the bushes so that they could talk.  
  
"Why are we all here anyway?" Erin asked.  
  
Merry and Pippin looked between each other, it seemed they were trying to decide on whether or not they should tell her.  
  
"It's okay, you can trust me, I won't say a word!" Erin said, holdin up her hand as though she were swearing on a bible.  
  
It seemed that Merry finally decided to tell her. He leaned over to her, motioning for her to bend down so that he could whisper into her ear.  
  
"We brought the ring of power here so that everyone can decide on its fate. It was dangerous. All the way here we were chased by Ringwraiths."  
  
"Ringwraiths?"  
  
"Yes, horrible creatures. They used to be kings of men, but Sauron gave them nine rings, which corrupted them and twisted them until they would do his will."  
  
"Sauron?"  
  
"You have even more questions than I do!" Pippin said. "How can you not know about Sauron? Everybody does."  
  
"I'm not from around here," Erin said, defending herself.  
  
"I should say not, if you haven't even heard about Sauron!" Merry said.  
  
"If you'd like to know all about it then you should come with us to the council tomorrow," Pippin said. Merry elbowed him in the side. "What? I just thought she'd like to come too!"  
  
"A council tomorrow?"  
  
"Yes, that is why we're all here, for the council."  
  
"I don't know if I should go, I haven't been invited," Erin said, a bit concerned.  
  
"Neither have we!" Pippin said, a bright smile on his face.  
  
Erin laughed. "So then, Mr. Peregrine, how exactly do you expect to get us into a secret council we haven't even been invited to?" Erin asked, her eyes alight with amusement.  
  
"Simple. We sneak in."  
  
"Okay. Come and get me before it starts and I'll sneak in with you," Erin said. "But I'm afraid that I have to go now, my company might be wondering where I am, don't want them to become suspicious you know."  
  
"Okay then, Erin, we'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning for the council!"  
  
With that they separated, Erin heading back to her chamber, and the hobbits going somewhere, she did not know where. She got down a hallway quite a ways before she realized that she had no idea where she was going. The stopped and looked around, trying to gain her bearings.  
  
"Aw crap!" she whined. "I'm really hungry and tired. And I don't know where the hell I am!"  
  
"I can help you with that," a voice said from behind her. Erin turned around and saw Arwen looking at her with the I-am-so-much-better-than-you- so-I-will-help-you-because-I-think-you-are-pathetic-and-feel-sorry-for-you look.  
  
"I will lead you back to your quarters," she said.  
  
"Um, thanks," Erin said, trying to be polite.  
  
They walked along the hallways, Arwen in the lead.  
  
"So, Erin, how are you?"  
  
Erin stopped and stared at Arwen. "How did you know my name?"  
  
"I was told all about you."  
  
"Were you? What was said?"  
  
"I was told about how you can kill orcs with your bare hands. I was also told that you were previously unable to speak, but I hear you speaking wonderfully now. I wonder, how were you able to learn to speak so quickly?"  
  
Erin noticed the condescending tone in her voice, but tried to ignore it. "What can I say? I'm a fast learner," Erin said, somewhat snottily back.  
  
"I find that a little difficult to believe, that a human could learn so quickly, especially by the looks of you." Arwen raised an eyebrow at Erin, turning her head slightly to look at her from the corner of her eye.  
  
"Do you? Well I'm sorry to hear that you pompous she-Elf." Erin was not going to make any more attempts to be polite. Arwen turned on her heels and glared at Erin, trying to make her feel small and belittled.  
  
"How dare you speak to me in that manner."  
  
"I will speak to you in any manner I please, I made an attempt to be nice to you, even though I could tell that you were prissy from a mile away, you were the one who insulted me first. I would have been perfectly happy to be nice to you." Erin didn't flinch at Arwen's burning gaze. "And if you are trying to intimidate me with that glare there is something I must alert you to, I am not easily intimidated, especially by little prissy women who think that they're better than everybody else, and put other people down to make themselves feel better!" Erin was now yelling. "So you can just bite me!"  
  
Erin was raised up on her tip toes, to bring herself to Arwen's eye level, both of their eyes blazing. This seemed to be a fairly even match. Arwen raised her hand up and slapped Erin. Her head whipped around from the impact. Erin slowly turned her head back to Arwen, her eyes almost changing color with her anger. She raised her hand up to punch Arwen, but was stopped by Legolas running up to them.  
  
"Erin! What are you doing?" he asked loudly.  
  
"Well she-" Erin was cut off by Arwen, who began sobbing.  
  
"She was going to hit me! I was just talking to her, asking her a few questions, and she began to insult me! Then she tried to hit me!" Arwen sobbed into Legolas' chest. Erin's eyes blazed even more, wind seemed to be swarming around her more than the others, her hair lifting up and out, creating a halo like veil around her head. She lifted her arms a bit, so that they were curved away from her body.  
  
"Erin is this true?" Legolas asked her.  
  
The wind stopped and Erin returned to normal, her hair falling back down, now distracted by Legolas.  
  
"What do you mean? Of course not!" she yelled, glaring at Arwen.  
  
"She's lying! Why would I do anything to provoke her? She is a guest! I was simply trying to be polite!"  
  
Legolas looked back and fourth between the two, seemingly torn.  
  
"Erin could you please go to your quarters, I will accompany Arwen to hers."  
  
Erin turned her glare on him. "You do not believe me," she stated.  
  
"I did not say that. I just-"  
  
"It's okay, I understand. You have to take care of this wuss here. You wouldn't take my, a human's word, over and Elf's."  
  
"That was not necessary," Legolas said.  
  
"Unnecessary but true!" Erin said. "It's fine, I'm leaving. You can go calm poor, fragile, little her down and comfort her. I will be in my quarters!" With that Erin stormed off, not caring where she was walking. She didn't notice the figure walk up beside her.  
  
"Erin?"  
  
She still didn't notice.  
  
"Erin!" the figure screamed.  
  
She whirled. "What?!" she said, an intense look of hate on her face. Then her face softened and she calmed down a little. "What Esgalan?" she said a little more politely.  
  
"I believe you," he said simply.  
  
"You do?"  
  
"Yes, I was a little ways away from you, sitting in one of the gardens, I heard what she said to you. You had every right to react the way you did. I saw her hit you as well."  
  
Erin looked at him, a little relieved that someone believed her, since she was sure that nobody else would. Then she hugged him.  
  
"Thank you Esgalan," she said.  
  
"You welcome. Now then, do you have any idea where you are going?"  
  
She laughed. "Not a clue."  
  
Esgalan offered his arm to her. "Milady. May I accompany you to dinner?" he asked dramatically, bowing slightly.  
  
"I would be delighted. I hope the food here is good." They both laughed. 


	14. Mud Monster?

A/N: YAY! I've got preview tickets to the Two Towers! I get to see it on the 16th instead of the 18th! I'm so happy! ::dances around living room:: Oh well. Hope you enjoy the update! There will be load of fun in the chapter after this!  
  
Erin rolled over in bed, her arm landing on her face. Someone banged on the door. She rolled over again, pulling a pillow over her head to block out the sound.  
  
"Erin, wake up!" a cheery voice cried.  
  
"What do you want?" she whined groggily.  
  
"You need to wake up so we can go to the council! If we don't get there soon we won't have anywhere to hide!"  
  
Erin shot up in bed, now fully awake. "Just a second!"  
  
She jumped up and threw a dress on, slipping on some shoes, and stumbled out the door, nearly knocking Pippin over.  
  
"Watch out there Erin!" he cried.  
  
"Sorry, I'm a little clumsy, but let's hurry up and go."  
  
"We're not in that much of a hurry ya know!" Merry said.  
  
"Yeah, but I need a good hiding spot, if I'm caught Legolas will murder me."  
  
"We've already got some."  
  
"Good ones?"  
  
"For people our size."  
  
She laughed. "That doesn't help me too much."  
  
"Oh, I suppose not. Well, in that case we should go now." They hurried down a long hallway and up to what she guessed was the council area. There were chairs in a circle with bushes behind them.  
  
"Where did you plan to hide?" Erin asked.  
  
"Behind those pillars over there," Merry said, pointing to two stone pillars.  
  
"Well then, I'll hide behind these bushes."  
  
"Right then, we had better hide now, the council will be gathering soon."  
  
They all ducked down into their hiding spots and waited. Then they waited some more.  
  
It had been around ten minutes and Erin didn't know how much longer she could stay in this position. Erin turned her head slightly as she heard a noise. Slowly, she looked to her right, only to see another hobbit crouching down behind the bushes only fifteen feet away from her. He looked in her direction and jumped a bit, then smiled. It seemed they had another spy.  
  
Erin heard more movement and saw a long line of people walking towards the area. All of the people took their seats; it seemed it was in a specific order. She saw a single hobbit sitting next to a tall, grey man. To the left of the man were Elves, to the left of them a race she did not recognize. Opposite of her was some humans. She stared at them; she hadn't seen humans in a while, but these ones looked different from the ones on earth. Lastly a tall, important looking Elf walked into the middle and stood there, looking around at everybody.  
  
Erin looked at the person sitting directly in front of her, then almost fell over. She had to be really careful now. Legolas was just two feet in front of her. Since he was accustomed to her, he might know when any small sound was her or not. The Elf who was standing began to talk.  
  
"Strangers from distant lands, friends of old, you've been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor. Middle earth stands upon the brink of destruction, none can escape it, you will unite or you will fall."  
  
Erin looked at the man, a little shocked; wasn't he just a ray of sunshine.  
  
"Each race is bound to this fate, this one doom." He looked at the only hobbit at the council. "Bring forth the Ring, Frodo."  
  
The hobbit called Frodo stood slowly; walking to the stand like thing set in the middle. He reached his hand out, placing the Ring in the center. Erin watched him closely; this seemed to be difficult for him. He walked back to his seat and sat down. Erin's attention was brought to one of the men as he began to speak.  
  
"So it is true,' he whispered. Everyone at the council looked at the Ring oddly. The man Erin deemed creepy began to speak again.  
  
"It is a gift, a gift to the foes of Mordor. Why not use this Ring? Long has my father, the steward of Gondor, kept the forces of Mordor at bay by the blood of our people, all your lands kept safe. Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy let us use it against him!" The man had a hopeful, yet somewhat crazed look in his eyes.  
  
Another man stood, speaking. "You cannot wield it, none of us can. The one Ring answers to Sauron alone, it has no other master."  
  
The other man turned to him. "And what would a ranger know of this matter?" he asked sourly. Erin nearly jumped back as Legolas leapt up.  
  
"This is no mere ranger. He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn, you owe him your allegiance."  
  
Nearly everyone turned and looked at Aragorn, all of them shocked.  
  
"Aragorn?" the creepy man asked. " This is Isildur's heir?"  
  
Aragorn nodded slightly.  
  
"And heir to the throne of Gondor," Legolas said.  
  
Aragorn turned to Legolas. "Havo dad, Legolas." Sit down, Legolas.  
  
"Gondor has no king," the creepy man said, turning to Legolas. "Gondor need no king." The man sat down.  
  
The tall, grey man spoke. "Aragorn is right, we cannot use it."  
  
The important looking Elf stood again. "You have only one choice. The Ring must be destroyed."  
  
Erin turned, trying to look at the Ring. It seemed to have a life of its own.  
  
A hairy man spoke. "What are we waiting for?" He stood, grabbed an axe, and walked towards it. The Elf sat forward slightly, all eyes were on the hairy man. He swung the axe at the Ring. It connected solidly, then the axe exploded. Erin looked at Frodo, who jerked back badly. The hairy man flew back, landing on the ground.  
  
As Erin watched Frodo, she zoned everything else out, not even paying attention to everyone else speaking. She heard some whispering, it seemed to be in her head. It was in a guttural language she did not understand. She heard the Elf saying something about Mordor and casting the Ring back before she zoned out again. There was the whispering again.  
  
"One of you must do this," the Elf said. Everything went silent. The creepy man began to speak again, Erin zoning out. She was brought back to reality as a fight seemed to break out. Everyone was standing except for the Elf and Frodo. She looked between everybody as they all screamed at each other, Legolas holding back some of the other Elves. Erin heard the whispering again. Her and Frodo seemed to be the only people able to hear it. She watched him closely, he almost seemed to be in pain.  
  
Slowly, Frodo stood.  
  
"I will take it!" he cried, but nobody heard him. He walked further into the center. "I will take it!" Everyone stopped, slowly turning to look at him. "I will take the Ring to Mordor, though I do not know the way," he said hesitantly.  
  
"I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins, as long as it is yours to bear," the grey man said.  
  
"By my life or death, I will protect you, I will. You have my sword."  
  
"And you have my bow."  
  
"And my axe."  
  
Erin almost laughed at the look Legolas gave the hairy man.  
  
Then the creepy man volunteered. Erin noticed her position now, she couldn't stay like this any longer, she was going to fall over. She tried to move, but her weight shifted, she was leaning far over now. There were too many Elves, if she made a single sound they would know. She looked at the hobbit next to her, he was jumping he. He yelled something just as she fell over, blocking her noise a bit. One of the Elves turned his head slightly in her direction, looking around suspiciously. She held her breath. When he looked away she released it slowly.  
  
She looked up as Merry and Pippin ran out of their hiding spots, proclaiming that they would join the fellowship as well. The question now was, should she jump out and volunteer or not. She looked at the Elf, who had turned to Merry and Pippin as they ran out. Whoa. If eyebrows could kill. She decided against jumping out. She waited silently as everyone slowly disassembled, going their separate ways.  
  
Erin stood a couple minutes after everyone had left, that was a close one. She walked back to her chamber slowly, thinking about how she was going to get into the fellowship without getting into trouble. She desperately wanted to go. There was no way in hell that she was going to be left her to embroider while the big, strong men went out and fought the battle. Perhaps Esgalan would know what to do. Oh well, she would ask him about it later. For now, she was going to go take a nap.  
  
  
  
Erin awoke a couple of hours later. It was past midday. She sat up and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. It was time to look for Esgalan. She could tell already that this was going to be a very uneventful day. She walked down the halls towards his chamber, careful about walking around corners so that she did not run into that snotty Arwen Elf again. Which reminded her, she still had to get her revenge. That was what she would do today. She would get some of her revenge.  
  
Either way, she would need Esgalan's help. She knocked on his door.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Hi Esgalan, it's me. Can I come in?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Erin opened the door and looked at him, he was reading.  
  
"Whatcha reading?" she asked.  
  
"An account of the Eleven. The book in Mirkwood is blank for some reason, I've always wanted to read this. It seems that this one is not finished yet. Perhaps the tale is not over, but that is unimportant."  
  
"I found that book in Mirkwood too. I must say it frustrated me. I kept trying to find a decent book to read, that one caught my eye but it was blank. You've read more than me. What is it about?"  
  
"It is a history book actually, about eleven women. But that is all we I have time to tell for now. What is it that you came in for?"  
  
"Oh yeah, I need your help with something." She smiled devilishly at him. He got a nervous look on his face.  
  
An hour later  
  
  
  
"Erin! I don't want to do this anymore!" Esgalan called from the side of a cliff.  
  
"Oh come on! You're almost there!"  
  
"Why couldn't you do this yourself?!"  
  
"Because, you know me! I'd fall and kill myself! You're an Elf, you can handle it! Just hurry up and get the eagle eggs, then we can leave!" Erin looked up at him, only about thirty more feet for him to go. They saw an eagle's nest there and had decided that the eggs could be useful for her, so she sent Esgalan to get them. She watched him finish the last thirty feet, grab the eggs, and head back down. Erin looked up at the blue sky, smiling slightly. This was going to be the best revenge. She looked over as something in the sky caught her eye. She paled.  
  
"Esgalan, buddy, you may want to speed up your descent!"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because I think that is the eagle whose eggs we just stole!"  
  
Esgalan looked over in the sky, then his eyes widened. He sped up quite a bit. The eagle was close now. It would be upon them in a few moments and Esgalan still had at least twenty more feet to climb down. Then the eagle was there.  
  
It swooped across Esgalan, causing him to lose his balance and fall into some bushes. Erin ran over to him.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
"Yeah I'm fine. But you get to carry the eggs now." He handed them to her quickly. "Now I suggest we run, it seems to be coming back for its own vengeance."  
  
Erin looked up as the eagle swooped towards them. Both her and Esgalan took off running through the forest.  
  
  
  
An old man walked slowly, leading his pony who was pulling a cart. He hummed lightly to himself, making his way up the forest path. His pony stopped. He turned around and looked at it.  
  
"What's wrong old boy?" Then the old man heard a noise. It sounded like feet thundering down the path, a ways away. He turned his head, trying to get a better grasp of what the sound was.  
  
"What's that?" he asked himself aloud. He looked up the path with trepidation. Then he saw it, a monster. There were two of them. His eyes widened as they got closer. The he realized that they weren't monsters. They seemed to be people. They looked like giant mudballs, the smaller one, a female it looked like, had small twigs and entire branches sticking out of her hair and clothes. They were both covered in leaves and what he guessed to be bird poop.  
  
"Run for your life!" the female screamed. They blew past the old man, causing wind to whip around with their speed. He blinked a couple of times, turning back in front of him. He heard a screech and watched as an eagle flew by him, screeching loudly. He shook his head and continued up the path.  
  
"Kids these days."  
  
  
  
Erin and Esgalan ran faster. The Rivendell gates were in sight. "Esgalan, tell them to open the gates!" she yelled. Esgalan yelled something at them. The gates began to open slowly.  
  
"Tell them to open them faster!"  
  
"The gates don't open any faster!"  
  
They stopped in front of the gated.  
  
"Hurry!" she cried frantically. She looked behind them. Where was the eagle. Maybe they had lost it. She heard a screech and looked up, only to see a giant terd flying directly towards her head. It landed with a satisfying plop. Esgalan looked at her and laughed.  
  
"Shut up Esgalan! You're covered with bird poop too ya know!" They walked through the now open gates, the eagle flying away. The Elves on the inside looked at them, trying to hold back their laughter.  
  
"What do we do with the eggs now?" Esgalan asked.  
  
"We bury them and dig them back up in a couple of weeks."  
  
Esgalan looked at her incredulously. "Ooookay." 


	15. What the Hell is that Smell?

Erin wiped the dirt from her forehead with the back of her hand. She looked to her right at Esgalan.  
  
"Is the bag ready?" she asked. He nodded and held the cloth bag far in front of him, staying as far away from the hole that she was digging as he possibly could.  
  
Erin slowly lifted one oval item out of the hole. She carefully placed the oval into the bag, as though it could explode at any moment, then reached back into the hole. Slowly, the hole was emptied of the three objects that had lain in it for two weeks.  
  
"Erin?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Why are they that yellow, brown color?"  
  
"While they were fermenting the shells got thin, and the dirt tainted it, not to mention you can see the slight color of the yolks inside. Be very careful, the shells are REALLY thin and believe me, you do NOT want to get that stuff on you. If you do the smell won't come out for about a week."  
  
He nodded cautiously, a look of fear on his face, and stood up.  
  
"Come on, let's go," Erin stated.  
  
Arwen looked out her window at the clear night sky. There were stars scattered across it, decorating the sky beautifully. She looked back to the cloth which she was embroidering at the moment and hummed lightly to herself.  
  
It was quiet outside, the only sound was made by crickets and a few nocturnal creatures moving about. Under her window a bush rustled slightly, its leaves shaking. Quietly, two figures began to rise from the bushes, black clothes placed over their faces, and pulled a bag out from behind them.  
  
"We're not going to go for her right?" a masculine voice asked.  
  
"No, we'll only egg her room. Don't want to be too mean, even though she was to me."  
  
"Right...are we ready?" the masculine voice asked again.  
  
"Yup. Lift me up onto your shoulders."  
  
"What? You never said anything about that!"  
  
"SHHH! I know but I didn't know that her window was way up there. Come on, I'm not that heavy!"  
  
"Fine!"  
  
He laced his fingers together and lowered his hands, creating a step up for Erin. She placed her foot in it and carefully stood up, putting one foot on each of his shoulders at a time. Esgalan reached up and held her feet to his shoulders.  
  
"Move forward a bit," she said. He began to move forward slowly, causing both of them to wobble from their unstable state.  
  
Erin reached into the bag and pulled out one of the eggs that she had dug up just fifteen minutes earlier. She pulled out one of the eggs and launched it at Arwen's window. The thrust of her throw jerked her back a bit, causing her aim to be a little off, the egg splattered against the window sill. It was just enough to cause them to lose their balance completely, sending her and Esgalan toppling to the ground. They landed in the bushes with a loud thud.  
  
Erin tried to get up quickly so that they could hide, just in case somebody had heard that. Her and Esgalan scrambled behind some bushes. They waited, holding their breath, for someone to look out a window. Nobody came. Erin looked over to Esgalan and shrugged. She slowly stood up and walked out of the bushes, reaching into the bag and pulling out the last two eggs.  
  
Esgalan walked up beside her.  
  
"Here," she whispered.  
  
"What?" he asked, taking the egg.  
  
"Come on, you throw one too. We'll both throw ours at the same time."  
  
"I don't really want to get involved in this..."  
  
"It's okay, we're not going to get caught. Besides one of us has got to throw it, I'll throw this one and you throw that one."  
  
He looked a little wary but agreed.  
  
"Ready?" she asked. He nodded. They both raised their arms simultaneously, drawing them back, preparing to throw the eggs. Esgalan threw his first. Things seemed to move in slow motion as the egg flew in a perfect line toward the opening of her window. Just as it was a foot away they saw a figure move to the window. The egg connected solidly with Arwen's face.  
  
The two pranksters got a horrified look on their face as Arwen stood there and slowly wiped the eggs from her eyes. Erin decided that one more egg couldn't hurt, so she drew back her arm, as Arwen opened her eyes, and threw the egg. It hit the bottom of the window, splattering up all over her.  
  
Arwen screamed in rage and tried to wipe the stuff off of her. Esgalan turned to Erin. They stared at each other for a moment, then turned and bolted away from the crime scene.  
  
Erin collapsed onto her bed and laughed. Esgalan fell onto the bed beside her.  
  
"That was SO hilarious!" she cried happily. "Too bad Merry and Pippin weren't there, they would have loved to have been able to take credit for something like that.  
  
"I have not done something like that since I was a child!" Esgalan cried, his eyes wide with excitement. "We must do something like that again!"  
  
"Oh no, what have I created," she said while laughing. "Well I suppose we should probably go to sleep, the fellowship leaves the day after tomorrow."  
  
"How did you know about the fellowship?" Esgalan asked suspiciously, sitting up and looking at her.  
  
"Uh...Merry and Pippin told me?" It was more of a question than a statement.  
  
"You snuck into the council didn't you?!" he asked, laughing slightly.  
  
"Maybe...."  
  
"Did you hear anything interesting?"  
  
"Wait a second...How did YOU know about the council?" she asked, sitting up and looking at him.  
  
"Legolas told me."  
  
Erin got a slightly disgruntled look on her face. "I still haven't talked to him since that whole Arwen thing..."  
  
Esgalan now focused more on her. "You haven't?"  
  
"Well, I haven't really seen him all that much. I've only passed him in the halls a couple of times. He always seems so busy, I don't want to disturb him."  
  
"What would you say?"  
  
"I don't know actually. I don't really want to apologize since I wasn't wrong. But I don't want him to just leave with us like this. If he died I would feel so horrible."  
  
Esgalan stood and walked to the door. "I suppose we should sleep. Perhaps you will think of what to do in your sleep, or maybe Legolas will come and speak to you." With that he left the room, closing the door quietly behind him. Esgalan listened to make sure that she wasn't going to come back out of the room before heading down the hall.  
  
He approached the door to Legolas' room and knocked on it sharply.  
  
"Yes?" came a voice.  
  
"May I come in?" Esgalan asked.  
  
"Yes, come in."  
  
Esgalan walked in and closed the door behind him, then turned to Legolas. "I hear that you haven't spoken to Erin since her and Arwen fought."  
  
"I don't exactly know what to say. I still don't know who started it. Arwen insists that Erin did, but that doesn't seem like her. She fights with us all the time, but it's always playful, never anything serious."  
  
"Erin didn't start that fight you know."  
  
"How do you know that?"  
  
"I was in the bushes just a few feet away from them. Arwen said some nasty things to Erin. Most of them suggested that she couldn't possibly do anything spectacular because she was a human. She also implied that Erin was stupid and a liar."  
  
Legolas' eyes widened a bit.  
  
"Is this true?"  
  
"I heard it myself. Then Arwen slapped her when Erin said something back to her. She was just about to get even with Arwen when you came up to them. After you approached Arwen began to sob and threw herself at you."  
  
Legolas' eyes narrowed. "Perhaps I should go have a chat with Arwen."  
  
"That will not be necessary." Esgalan stopped as he tried desperately to control his laughter. Legolas smiled a bit at the mirth hidden behind Esgalan's eyes.  
  
"What did you do?"  
  
"Let's just say that Erin got revenge in her own way." Legolas gave him a slightly amused look.  
  
"I should go and talk to Erin."  
  
"It can wait until tomorrow, right now she's sleeping."  
  
"Oh. Then I suppose I shall speak to her tomorrow."  
  
"Sleep well, Legolas."  
  
"Sleep well, Esgalan."  
  
Esgalan left the room and went to his own quarters to sleep, not that he really needed it.  
  
  
  
Erin rolled over in bed, a slight puddle of drool visible on her pillow. She rolled over a little more, trying to get comfortable. Then there was air. She fell with a loud THUD to the ground, groaning. Slowly, she rose to her feet and stretched out. Reaching into the small closet like thing, she pulled out a dress and some shoes, putting them on carefully: recently she'd had problems with falling over while trying to get her shoes on.  
  
She walked to her door and opened it, heading down one of the many corridors to get breakfast. She walked into the room and noticed Esgalan sitting at one of the tables. She sat down beside him and motioned to a piece of food on his plate with a questioning look in her eyes.  
  
"Go ahead," he said pleasantly.  
  
She grabbed the food and chewed it quickly.  
  
"I talked to Legolas last night."  
  
Erin almost spit out her food. She swallowed quickly and looked at him, her eyes wide. "You did what?!"  
  
"It was no big deal, I simply explained the situation with Arwen."  
  
"You didn't tell him about what we did, did you?"  
  
"Well I didn't tell him exact details, I just told him that you got your own little vengeance."  
  
Erin chuckled a bit, then stopped, sniffing the air a bit. It seemed that Esgalan had noticed it as well as his face contorted into a look of slight pain at the smell.  
  
"What the hell is that smell?" Erin asked, sniffing the air a bit more before choking on the fumes, whatever was making the smell was getting closer. Then Arwen stormed into the room, a VERY pissed look on her face. She stormed straight up to Erin and pointed a finger at her.  
  
"I know that YOU did this!!"  
  
Erin plugged her nose and stood up, keeping a calm look on her face while trying not to laugh. "I do not know what you're talking about Arwen," Erin spit Arwen's name out as though it was a poison.  
  
"You know that you did this! You won't get away with it!" Arwen screamed. By now a crowd was gathering, most of them trying to refrain from plugging their noses. "This will be settled one way or another!" she screamed.  
  
"I have a way to settle this," Erin said, unplugging her nose. She continued to speak as her eyes began to water at the smell. She didn't know how Esgalan could compose himself as much as he was. He was sitting there as though he couldn't smell anything.  
  
"You think that you're better than me, right?" Erin asked. Arwen glared at her. "Well there was no denial, so I challenge you to a game of wit and skill."  
  
"I think it will be easy enough to win in that," Arwen stated smugly.  
  
Erin smirked. "We will see. Here are the rules." Erin proceeded to explain the game for a few minutes, the crowd around them listening intently. By now all of Erin's traveling companions had arrived. Even Elrond was there. "Five members. Whoever carries the flag past the line wins," she finished.  
  
Arwen smiled. "Sounds like a child's game to me."  
  
"It may be, but let's see how you do. Okay now we choose our teams. You can go first, Arwen," Erin said venomously.  
  
"Fine. First, I choose my brother, Elladan." A young looking Elf, that Erinw as guessing was Elladan, stepped forward, next to his sister.  
  
"My turn!" Erin said excitedly. She spun around once dramatically, pointing her finger to her right, slightly up to the sky, her legs spread in a wide stance to brace herself. "Legolas! I choose you! Fireball attack!" she stopped, straightening back up.  
  
"Hmm, wrong show, that's not even one of his attacks...." She stroked the invisible beard that resided on her chin. "Should have said archery attack.....definitely should have said archery attack....Oh well." She turned to Legolas, who was staring at her, eyes wide.  
  
"Come on, you're on my team," she said, waving him over. He walked over to her side. "I already know everyone that I want on my team, so why don't we just choose them all at once," Erin said.  
  
"Fine! Let's just get this over with!"  
  
"Okay! This time I get to go first. As I call your name step forward please," she said to the crowd. "Esgalan, Avarion, and Glorfindel. Would you all please be on my team?" she asked, a hopeful look in her eyes. These were her friends so she would prefer them on her team, but they had also play once before, therefore, they had a little more experience with the game.  
  
All three of them stepped forward and she smiled. Arwen spoke up, choosing her teams.  
  
"Elrohir, Aragorn, and father," she said. Elrond looked surprised. From the resemblance that Elrohir shared with Elladan she was guessing that they were all brothers and Arwen was engaged to Aragorn. This was turning into quite the family affair.  
  
Erinw as a little afraid of playing against Elrond. He was scary enough at the council, she hated to see him playing any type of competitive sport, then she got a funny image of him playing ice hockey. She quickly shook the image from her mind and walked out to an open field that was located just outside Rivendell.  
  
She had an Elf run down and mark a spot about two miles away, this would be an intense game since it wouldn't last very long. She jumped onto Aegnor's back, the other Elves following suit on their own horses. She waited for Arwen's group to mount their own horses and then nodded to an Elf. He took the cloth and placed it in a tree that strayed a bit from the path to the finish line, but that would only make it more interesting.  
  
Then the Elf called for them to ready themselves. Erin leaned forward a bit. Sure, her world was dirty and annoying, but at least she'd learned a little something about aerodynamics. She looked over at the other group. Uh oh. It seemed that somehow Elrond had gotten a little lesson in aerodynamics at some point in his life, and he had Elven grace on his side. That was okay, she'd be willing to bet her life that he'd never had a gymnastics class.  
  
In that fact she had one small advantage. Not to mention she'd played the game many times before, picking up many different horseback styles and maneuvers. Then the Elf called out to start. She cursed herself for not paying attention. Aegnor jumped to a start once he knew what was going on. Erin looked just in front. Oh yeah, Elrond was good. He was in front of everybody else. He grabbed the flag and pulled in front of all of them.  
  
Erin cursed once again as she nudged Aegnor forward. She reached her hand down at him, telling him to give it everything he got and not to save anything for a long once, this was going to be a short game. Erin called out to her team, telling them to catch up with her and get close so that she could talk to them. Only Legolas and Glorfindel were able to get close enough. She didn't want the other team to hear, so she motioned for them to lean in close to her.  
  
"Okay, do you think that you guys can lift me?"  
  
They both nodded, a questioning look in their eyes.  
  
"Do you think that you can both pick me up and throw me over distances?"  
  
"Are you sure that you don't want me to retrieve Esgalan, he sounds like he would like this idea of throwing you across distances," Glorfindel said cheekily. Erin laughed a little and shook her head.  
  
"Do you guys think that you can do that?"  
  
They both nodded once again. "Okay then, here's the plan. We're going ride up alongside Elrond and pull that maneuver that I did to one of you. But this time you guys are going to have to keep tossing me back and forth to one another, I can keep holding onto the cloth. If I keep moving back and forth like that then nobody will be able to get it from my hands."  
  
"What if you can't get it from Elrond on the first try. He will realize what you're doing and there will be no chance that he will fall for it again," Legolas stated.  
  
"Well let us hope that doesn't happen, but if it does, I have a few more tricks up my sleeve," she said, a mischievious look in her eyes. "Now let's go!"  
  
They nodded to each other and rode up alongside Elrond. In one quick move Erin stood up on her horse and aimed herself. This was going to be a little harder than it was before. The last time she did it the Elf that she was taking it from had it waving in the air. Elrond had it in his hand, which was gripping the mane of his horse. All of her though happened in a second before she pushed off of Aegnor and went sailing through the air. She looked down as she passed over Elrond and reached her hand out to grab the flag.  
  
He jerked his horse to the left, causing her to miss the cloth. She looked up, looking for the Elf that was supposed to catch her. Nobody was there. Her eyes widened in fear as she neared the ground. Then she saw a horse run up out of the corner of her eye. She looked up and saw Legolas lean far over on his horse and grab her, bringing her back up to sit behind him. She gave him a grateful look.  
  
"So what was your back up plan?" he asked.  
  
"Okay, this time you're going to jump to get it away from Elrond."  
  
"Why will it be any different when I do it?" he asked.  
  
"Because I'm going to distract Elrond for you."  
  
"How do you plan to do that?"  
  
"Just trust me! Glorfindel is in position, so get ready to go."  
  
Legolas stood up on the horse, Erin standing up slowly behind him. This was a little different, she wasn't used to doing this on any horse other than Aegnor, and he always kept his gait as smooth as possible so that she wouldn't fall. This horse was just running. Erin looked at Legolas, letting her know with her eyes that he should get ready.  
  
He looked over to Elrond, searching for the cloth. It was still clutched tightly in his hand.  
  
Erin took in a deep breath and grabbed the front of her dress, pulling it down to reaveal.....herself.  
  
"Go!" she screamed to Legolas. He jumped while Elrond was still gawking. He wasn't being a pervert, he was just shocked to the core. No maiden that he had ever met would dare to expose herself to anybody. They were always far too shy. He didn't notice what Legolas was doing until the cloth was out of his hand.  
  
Legolas looked at Glorfindel, who wasn't exactly reaching out to grab him, he seemed a little distracted by something in Erin's direction.  
  
"Glorfindel!" he screamed. He seemed to snap out of it and caught Legolas at the last moment.  
  
Erin covered herself back up and sat down on the horse, steering it towards Legolas and Glorfindel, who were being slowed down by their combined weight. She pulled up alongside them and motioned for Legolas to get on.  
  
Erin looked around for Aegnor. Since he was free of any weight, unlike the others, he was able to get ahead of them.  
  
"Okay you guys, now it's time to toss me!" They nodded. "And please, PLEASE don't drop me!"  
  
Legolas smiled, he steered the horse away from Glorfindel then grabbed Erin, tossing her about ten feet to Glorfindel, who caught her easily. As she sat on his horse he turned to her.  
  
"That was quite the back up plan," he said cheekily. She smiled.  
  
"It was certainly effective. You almost dropped Legolas." Glorfindel laughed.  
  
"Okay, get ready to be tossed again." He handed her the flag. She looked up at him, a little shocked, when did he get that? Ooh clever move, everyone thought that Legolas still had the flag, but they would find out soon enough that he didn't. Erin nodded and looked to her right. Shit. Arwen was right there, taking advantage of her distraction. She was about to grab the flag as Glorfindel tossed her to Legolas.  
  
It seemed that Esgalan and Avarion were doing their part by keeping Elladan and Elrohir at bay, away from the cloth. Erin smiled as she sailed through the air and was caught by Legolas. It didn't seem like they had been riding for long but they were almost to the finish line. Erin looked over to her right, where Elladan was riding beside them, not making a move for the cloth. Strange.  
  
It seemed that one of them had gotten away from Avarion and Esgalan, but they were compensating by keep Elrond away. Erin looked at Elladan again; he still wasn;t making a move. Then her eyes widened in realization. She snapped her head around sharply to her left just in time to see Arwen come flying towards her, arms outstretched. Well that had to be the scariest sight she had ever seen. She ducked and Arwen went flying over her.  
  
Note to self: the Elves were daring and learned quickly. Elladan caught her. At least their horse was now a tiny bit slower from their combined weight. The finish line was right there. It seemed that all of the other team was closing in fast, Legolas was crowded so she had nowhere to jump to. She turned to Avarion, and made eye contact.  
  
He nodded, seeming to get her meaning. He rode ahead of everybody else, just in front of the group. "Glorfindel, throw me to Avarion," she said aloud. He nodded and picked her up, tossing her ahead of everybody. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as she saw a horse riding along side her while she was sailing through the air. Then she realized something. This person was pulling ahead of her, straight toward Avarion.  
  
It seemed Avarion realized this as well as the person on the horse rammed into him, making him, horse and all, jerk to the left. She was only five feet above the ground now. Oh God, she was going to die. She looked up and saw Avarion struggling to get over to her. Her was just barely able to push whoever that was out of the way and grab her wrist. But she was already falling too fast and too close to the ground, then the person rammed into Avarion again. That was it, she slipped from his grasp.  
  
She hit the ground hard and rolled. She closed her eyes tightly and hoped that she didn't break anything.....like her neck for instance. She felt her form come to a stop and laid there for a moment, not moving a muscle. She waited for any sharp pain or possibly a bright light at the end of a tunnel. She stayed there for what seemed like hours to her. When there was no light or very intense pain she opened her eyes and sat up, looking at the cloth still clutched in her hand. At least she didn't drop it. Then she looked at the ground in front of her.  
  
There was the finish line. But which side of it was she on? She looked around then jumped up and screamed with glee. She had fallen and rolled past the finish line, which meant that she had won the game. She saw her team mates jump off of their horses and run to her. Legolas ran up and hugged her tightly.  
  
"Are you alright?" he asked, his eyes full of concern.  
  
"Yeah, other than a few bruises, but nothing serious." She looked up at everyone else. All of the other team was still mounted. Elrond had a look of pure glee on his face, it seemed that he didn't get to do things like this that often. Arwen looked like she was going to puke, which made Erin fell absolutely wonderful. Then she recognized the horse that had kept ramming into Avarion. It seemed that Elrohir was the culprit. He looked a little worried until she smiled at him, silently telling him that she was neither mad, nor hurt.  
  
She turned to Avarion. "Thank you for slowing my descent," she said gratefully. "You're probably the only reason that I'm not seriously hurt." He smiled at her.  
  
"You are the most unbreakable creature that I've ever seen!" Esgalan commented.  
  
"What can I say? I drank a lot of calcium as a child."  
  
She laughed then held up the cloth triumphantly, drawing her arm back to pitch the thing across the field and flinging it.  
  
"It was you!" she heard a screech come from her left. She turned quickly and looked at Arwen.  
  
"I recognize that throw. That is exactly what it looked like last night!"  
  
Erin scratched the back of her head nervously. Arwen got a furious look in her eyes, then kicked her horse, driving him forward towards Erin.  
  
"Aegnor!" Erin screamed. He ran up to her and she jumped up onto his back, turning him and telling him to run away from Arwen. She drove her horse forward at a full gallop in pursuit of Erin.  
  
"Run Y'all!" she screamed with a thick, very fake, southern accent. "She's gone and lost her mind!" Arwen continued to chase her around the field for another hour before anyone was able to calm her down. Erin got a huge laugh out of the entire thing. 


	16. YOU!

A breeze blew through the open window; a fog began to waft into the room, covering the empty bed. The person that had lain there just minutes before was now gone. It was pitch black outside; not even the stars were visible. Fog began to roll across the ground, getting thicker, causing visibility to be near zero. The quiet of the halls, which were usually absolutely silent at this hour, was interrupted by a low cursing as someone tripped.  
  
"Shit!" Erin cursed, covering her mouth, hoping that no one had heard. She was bent over slightly, cradling her hurt foot. Erin straightened up and began to tiptoe down the hall again. She stopped and listened, if anybody knew what she was doing she would be a dead woman.  
  
Someone was coming up behind her. She ran as fast as she could, without making a racket, down the hall. It sounded like the person was running too. She sped up, and as soon as she reached Esgalan's door she burst through it, quickly slamming the door behind her.  
  
Esgalan shot up in bed and stared at her.  
  
"Erin what are you-"  
  
"Shhhhh! I'm being followed and they're coming this way. Cover for me!" she whispered loudly, diving behind the bed so that she was out of sight. Just then the door burst open.  
  
"Esgalan? Did you see someone run in here?!" the shrill voice that could only belong to Erin's enemy, Arwen, screeched.  
  
Esgalan pretended that Arwen had just woken him up. "I am afraid not, lady Arwen. Why do you seek this person?"  
  
Arwen seemed to be seething inside. She looked around the room before answering Esgalan. "It is nothing. I shall leave now."  
  
She turned to leave, glancing once more around the room. Neither of them saw her freeze for a moment, as she caught sight of Erin's pack peaking up over the other side of the bed. "Goodnight Esgalan," she said smoothly. Arwen shut the door behind her, smiling to herself as she walked to Elrond's chamber.  
  
Erin got up off the floor and sighed, looking at Esgalan. "Thanks Esgalan," she said appreciatively. He nodded to her then gave her a stern look.  
  
"Why are you here at this time of night?"  
  
"Well actually it would be this time of morning, technically. Yeah, it's just before the butt crack of dawn actually." She smiled at his look. "Anyway, get up. We need to leave in exactly..." she tried to look at her watch, but soon realized that she didn't have a watch. "Well we need to leave in about ten minutes."  
  
"First, I have to pack, and second, where are we going?"  
  
"Well first, I already packed your things," she threw a large pack at him, pausing while he caught it easily. "And second, we are going after the fellowship," she said, like it was the most obvious answer in the world.  
  
"What?!"  
  
Erin jumped and clamped her hand over his mouth. "Shhhh! I don't want anybody to know that we're going just yet."  
  
It was then that Esgalan noticed Erin's attire. "Um, Erin?" it seemed that the Elf was picking up her dialogue style.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Where did you get those clothes?"  
  
Erin looked down at her MALE Elven attire. "Oh...that...." She laughed nervously, scratching the back of her head dramatically. "Well, you see it's kinda a long story..."  
  
"Never mind, I'm pretty sure that I don't want to know, right?" Erin laughed again.  
  
"Yeah, well, get up! We need to leave now." Esgalan stood and dressed while Erin turned around, pretending to be suddenly very interested in one of the nearby walls.  
  
An hour later  
  
"We're lost!"  
  
"We are not lost!"  
  
"Yes we are! I know I've seen this place before!"  
  
"Of course you saw this place before. You came through here with Legolas a couple of months ago." Esgalan gave her a 'duh' look and began to move Aegnor forward again.  
  
"Oh. Um, do you think that we could stop for a little bit and rest. I was up a lot earlier than you were ya know."  
  
"Fine. But we cannot rest for long or they we get too much of a lead on us."  
  
"I know." Erin sat down and pulled food out of her pack. A thoughtful look came across her face and she put her food down on a branch that looked semi clean, turning around and reaching back into her pack to get something. Erin smiled triumphantly as she pulled out some honey topping. She turned around and reached for her food. A blank expression came across her face as her hand came in contact with a branch, a branch that held no food.  
  
Confusion began to play its way across her face as she looked around, even in ridiculous places for her food. Esgalan watched her curiously as she crawled along the forest floor, scouring it for her food. Finally, she stood up and placed her hands on her hips, her eyebrows knit together in frustration. She tapped her foot on the ground impatiently as though she was expecting it to appear right in front of her.  
  
Erin heard a scratching noise and looked up. There, in the tree branches, sat her sandwich, in the hands of a cute, grey, fluffy squirrel.  
  
Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "YOU!" she cried, jumping up into the tree, scrambling to get up into the branches. Unfortunately there were no branches until about twenty feet up the trunk. She tried to shimmy up it but couldn't quite go fast enough. The squirrel was still sitting on the branch, staring at her nonchalantly. It took a bit out of her food.  
  
"AAARRRRRGGGGHHHH! First you make me fall out of a tree where Legolas and I end up in a VERY compromising position, and now you steal my food!!!!!" Erin began to scramble up the trunk faster. She stopped for a moment to catch her breath, then began to slide down the trunk. She raised her head up and sunk her teeth deep into the bark of the tree, attempting to keep herself from sliding down any further.  
  
She heard a weird ripping/cracking noise, then her eyes widened. The chunk of bark that was in her mouth broke away from the tree, causing her to fall all the way back to the ground. She stood up and brushed her clothes off, spitting the bark out onto the ground. She smiled and raised her fingers to her lips, whistling loudly.  
  
A few seconds later Aegnor ran up to her from where he had been grazing. She motioned for him to stand there while she used him to get up into the tree. She stood on his back and jumped up the last few feet to the first branch, swinging her body up and around the branch. She let go as her feet were sticking straight up into the air and flew up to the branch that the squirrel was on, landing smoothly and giving the squirrel an evil smile.  
  
The squirrel flattened its ears to its head as it seemed to shrink down a bit, still holding the last bite of Erin's food in its hand. It quickly shoved the last piece into its mouth and swallowed.  
  
"YOOOOOUUUUU!" Erin screamed, lunging at it. The creature dodged out of the way quickly and scampered down the trunk of the tree. Erin continued to fly through the air, barely managing to grab a branch as she fell, and landed on the ground on her feet for once. The squirrel looked at her once more and began to run.  
  
Erin ran after it, a crazed look in her eyes. It squealed as it ran across the forest floor and through bushes.  
  
"Come back here!!!!"  
  
Esgalan watched as Erin ran off into the forest after a squirrel.  
  
"What an odd girl," he mumbled to himself as he continued to eat.  
  
  
  
Erin grumbled to herself as she pulled the many branches and twigs out of her hair and clothes. "Stupid squirrel..just had to run through those thorns....then the bushes.....then the stream.....damn him..."  
  
Erin reached up and rung some water out of her hair.  
  
"You know, it probably was not the best idea to run after that squirrel through the thorns."  
  
"Thank you Esgalan, I realized that now..." she said bitterly.  
  
"You know, maybe you should walk," Erin gave him a death glare. "You would dry off a lot faster."  
  
"I'm fine, thank you."  
  
She looked around at the forest again. It seemed that it was getting thicker. That could be very bad. If they were to get too close to the fellowship they might not know until it was too late.  
  
"Esgalan, you don't think that we might accidentally run into the fellowship do you?"  
  
He looked back at her. "No, I do not think that we will. Even if we did what's the worst that they could do to us? Send us back?"  
  
"Well, they could cover us in cod liver oil and feathers and give us to a very, very, depraved walrus...." Erin looked thoughtful.  
  
Esgalan gave her a blank look. "Yes, well.... We will stop to rest in another couple of hours so that we can eat."  
  
Erin smiled. "Good. And I swear, I will have my vengeance on that squirrel.." she trailed off as she got a very happy, yet deranged look on her face.  
  
  
  
Erin looked around the forest. Why did Esgalan insist on making HER gather some natural food. He said they could stop to eat, he never said that she would have to get them the food. He'd only mentioned something about limited food that they had to save for worse times, so they should get natural food while they still could. She wasn't exactly sure what he meant by that, but there was one thing she was certain of. This particular Elf was a lazy bum.  
  
He was making HER do most of the work. She dropped to the forest floor, looking for any signs of something edible. It was then that she came upon a foot. A hairy, bare foot. She followed the foot up to a leg. Then she followed the leg up to a person, a decidedly small person.  
  
She jumped to her feet and almost fell over.  
  
"PIPPIN?!" she half screamed.  
  
"ERIN?!" he half screamed back. Erin looked over to another being that was standing right next to Pippin. She prayed that it wasn't Legolas. She looked at the other figure.  
  
"MERRY?!"  
  
"ERIN?!" he said back, mirroring Pippin's look.  
  
"What are you doing here?" they both asked in near unison.  
  
"Um, nothing..I was just....yeah..."  
  
Merry and Pippin gave her a skeptical look.  
  
"Okay, OKAY! I admit it. I'm following the fellowship. This was just too much fun to pass up!"  
  
The two looked between each other and smiled.  
  
"You're not going to tell Legolas are you?"  
  
"Why are you so worried about us telling Legolas?"  
  
Pippin turned to Merry. "Somebody likes Legolas."  
  
"I do not!"  
  
"Yes you do, admit it!"  
  
"No I don't"  
  
"Yes, we believe you."  
  
"Oh shut up!"  
  
"You know you like him."  
  
"This is all beside the point. You aren't going to tell anybody are you?"  
  
"Well we probably should. It wouldn't be right to keep something like this from our own fellowship now would it?"  
  
Erin's face dropped.  
  
"Of course we won't tell anybody, Erin! Where would the fun be in that?" Erin smiled and hugged them both.  
  
"Well, you guys wouldn't happen to know how to find food in this forest, would you?" she asked hopefully.  
  
"As a matter of fact we would."  
  
Merry and Pippin lead her off to show her where some food was. Erin followed them gladly, learning about how you could find food in the forest by looked at clues in the plants and animals. They didn't even notice as a figure approached. They heard the snap of a twig and jerked around to look in the direction that it had come from.  
  
"Merry, Pippin!"  
  
"Oh no," Merry cried, "It's Aragorn!"  
  
Erin dove behind a tree just as Aragorn walked out from behind one.  
  
"Oh there you are. You have been gone a long time. We need to leave now."  
  
Merry and Pippin nodded and walked after him. Erin looked out from behind the tree as Merry and Pippin turned around and waved goodbye to her.  
  
Erin walked back to where Esgalan had stopped and sat down, carrying some mushrooms.  
  
"I didn't think that you'd ever actually be able to find anything edible!"  
  
"Very funny, I had some help from Merry and Pippin."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I ran into them. It appears that we are closer to the fellowship than we thought. They won't tell the rest, but we should let them get further ahead of us. We can probably just stay here for the rest of the night. It will be getting dark soon anyway. If we get too far behind then we can speed Aegnor up."  
  
Esgalan nodded and smiled. Erin was proving to be promising in the whole quest business.  
  
  
  
Esgalan poked at the fire with a stick. Erin was fast asleep on the ground. He hoped that tomorrow would be more interesting than it was today, although Erin was quite amusing.  
  
He closed his eyes and listened to the forest. It was such a peaceful night. As he listened he caught a very slight noise. Someone was trying to sneak up on them. His eyes shot open just as someone leapt out of the bushes at them. Several people jumped out.  
  
He dodged a knife that was flying towards his neck and rolled across the ground, grabbing his pack and pulling two long knives out of it. He turned around and slashed one of the men across the stomach. The man doubled over and hit the ground heavily.  
  
Two more men came flying towards Esgalan. He killed them quickly, expending little effort in the process. It was then that a very large man came up to him. The man didn't appear to be in any real rush like the others.  
  
"What do you want?" Esgalan asked, although he was sure that he knew already.  
  
The man just smiled and lunged at Esgalan. He dodged and turned, trying to cut the man with one of his knives. The man was fast apparently as he moved out of the way of the deadly knives, nearly landing a blow of his own.  
  
Esgalan turned and looked at Erin, hoping that she wasn't hurt. The man followed his gaze.  
  
"Is that your woman?" he asked.  
  
Esgalan glared at him and jumped forward, trying to catch the man off guard. The man laughed and looked at Erin again.  
  
"I hope that you won't mind too much if I take her with me. It seems a fair price for all of the men that you killed."  
  
Esgalan glared at him again and jumped for the man once more. The man jumped up into the air and landed on Esgalan's back, pinning him to the ground. The man kicked one of the long knives out of Esgalan's hand and laughed at him.  
  
"Some great Elf you are, can't even fight as well as a human."  
  
Esgalan ground his teeth together. Then Esgalan realized something. Since the man was gloating, he was sure to be distracted at least slightly. He reached up with the one knife that he had left and slashed the man's leg. The man stumbled backwards, clutching at his wounded leg.  
  
Esgalan didn't hesitate as he lunged forward and plunged the knife into the man's throat, twisting it before pulling it out through the side of the man's neck. Esgalan sighed as the man's body fell limply to the ground.  
  
Erin jerked awake at the sound of a loud thump. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and looked around. How interesting. There were four dead bodies laying around their campsite.  
  
She looked up at Esgalan questioningly. He looked shocked, she had slept through that entire loud fight but woke up when the last man fell.  
  
"Um, Esgalan? Why did you kill all these people?" she asked carefully, as though it was a possibility that he had decided to become a mass murderer.  
  
"They tried to kill me. I'm guessing that they were trying to rob us. If they had succeeded they would have taken you with them."  
  
"Oh," Erin said nonchalantly. "Well then, I'll just go back to sleep." She was out before her head touched the ground. Esgalan just gawked at her. That girl could sleep through anything. 


	17. Sausage and Biscuits

A/N: Hi! Sorry about it taking so long for me to update, I get distracted easily, until somebody review and reminded me that I haven't updated in a while. Does anybody reading this live in New Mexico? I want to give a special thanks to Rayne Maker! Not only did you ready my DBZ, LotR, and LotR actor fics, but you reviewed them! And you review every chapter of this story! Thank you! Another thing is, I will be doing a review special. Once I get 100 reviews I will do a special chapter called, "Interlude..Male Elf Models?" or something along the lines of that, I may change the title. Yes, it sounds kind of scary, but it's not really! Well...maybe a little. But back to another topic! Someone asked me a while ago how I got preview tickets to The Two Towers, and since I am VERY easily distracted (really, I have the attention span of a two year old) I forgot to answer until now, so here's the answer. I am friends with an actor who got the tickets for me. He has also met Orlando Bloom and told me some interesting stories about the guy. Nothing bad! I love updating on Saturday mornings when everybody is gone so I can sit and type in my Pj's while eating potato chips and drinking eggnog. My step brother and father are skiing, my sister is working, and my step mom is......um....somewhere that is not here...Wow this is getting long, so I will end it here with a final word or two of warning. BEWARE: POTATO CHIPS MAKE YOU FAT!!!  
  
Erin stopped and sat down. Finally, the fellowship was taking a rest. She could finally catch her breath and eat something. Esgalan sat down as well, getting out some bread to eat. Erin did as he did and pulled out her own bread, staring at it before slowly taking a bite. They had run out of good food and were left with only bread until they could find something else in the woods. They had been traveling for days now. Erin finished her bread slowly, trying not to think about ice cream, pies, bacon, sandwiches, and other such things. Oh how she wished that she had a pack of Top Ramen if nothing else. She would rather eat that than bread.  
  
She was beginning to think that chasing the fellowship wasn't such a good idea. She continued to think about this particular subject when it was interrupted by a smell. Did she smell sausage and biscuits? Yes, that had to be what that smell was. But where was it coming from? Erin poked her head up from one of the bushes that they were hiding behind. They were no longer in forest, but on a strange landscape with brown grass and tall bushes, with rocks jutting out here and there. She looked up to where the fellowship was located, on top of a hill with lots of rocks jutting out and bushes there as well.  
  
She could see Legolas standing watch, his head turning this way and that. She hoped that he would turn in her direction. She looked around at the rest of the fellowship. That blond man from the council was teaching Merry and Pippin how to fight with swords, at least that's what it looked like. What was that man's name again? Ah, yes, it was Boromir. He creeped Erin out. She continued to look around for what was making that smell. Then she saw it.  
  
One of the hobbits was cooking food, REAL food. Her mouth began to water at the sight of it. Although they were far away, she could still make out the frying pan, and imagine what wonderful contents it held. She was aware of Esgalan moving up beside her.  
  
"What are you looking at?" he asked.  
  
She sat back down and pretended that nothing was going on. "Oh nothing, I was just aiming sure that they weren't leaving yet," she said nonchalantly.  
  
"It does not look like they will be leaving for a bit at least, otherwise they wouldn't have taken the time to build a fire. Erin nodded and looked at the ground, seeming to find it very interesting all of the sudden.  
  
"Hey, um, I think I'll go and try to find some food around here," Erin said, slightly nervously.  
  
"Perhaps you shouldn't, maybe I should go. You are clumsy. You would fall and alert them all that we are here."  
  
Erin gave him a pointed look. "I won't trip or anything like that! I'm just going to and look for some food!"  
  
"Go ahead then, but if you are caught, you are on your own. I will go back to Rivendell and deny any knowledge about this."  
  
Erin nodded and moved quietly away from where Esgalan sat, being very careful not to trip. She crawled through the bushes, slowly getting closer to the fellowship. Now she had to be very careful, it would be very easy for Legolas to spot or hear her, especially when she was this close. An idea came to her as her hand slammed into a rock. She tried not to cry out in the sudden pain, clamping her hand over her mouth. She glared at the rock for a moment, then picked it up, completing the plan in her head.  
  
She would carry the rock with her, and when she got close enough to steal some of their food, she would throw the rock away from her so that it would make noise, and Legolas would go and investigate it. The others there were not as perceptive as an Elf so it would be easier for her to get the food this way. She slowly drew closer until she was only a few feet away. She was surprised that Legolas had not heard her yet. Then she realized that he was very distracted by everything else going on around him.  
  
She readied the rock and pulled her arm back, hurling it forward and releasing the rock. It went flying through the air, behind Legolas so that he would not see it, and landed a ways away from her. Legolas turned sharply towards the noise and hopped from rock to rock, like a cat, in that direction. Everything was going as planned. The rock had also distracted the rest of the fellowship. They were all turned, looking at Legolas to see if there was any danger.  
  
As quietly as she could she walked up to the frying pan and pulled some sausage out, trying not to cry out or drop it as the things burned her. She put them in a cloth that she used to hold her other food and grabbed some biscuits, also putting them on the cloth and rolling it up.  
  
She heard a sharp intake in breath and looked up sharply. There was the dwarf, staring at her. She froze, holding her breath. She stared at him, food still in the cloth which was gripped tightly in her hands. She picked up her right foot and stepped back slowly, leaning some of her weight onto that foot so that she could pick up the other, never breaking eye contact with him. She continued to slowly back away, until the dwarf began to turn to the others, then she turned and dove into the bushes, rolling down the hill a ways before standing and quickly began making her way back to Esgalan.  
  
Gimli turned to the others and sputtered a bit, then finally found his voice. "There was a girl here!" he cried. All the others turned to him as Legolas returned, notifying them that it was nothing.  
  
"What do you mean a girl was here?" Aragorn asked.  
  
"I mean that there was a girl here! She stole some of our food, then ran off!" he said in his gruff voice.  
  
"What did she look like?" Boromir asked.  
  
"I don't know! It was a girl! Human, I think. Could've been a hobbit."  
  
Erin, who had stopped to listen to what they were going to do about her, was just about to stand up and scream, "hey! I'm not THAT short!!!!" when Esgalan walked up behind her and grabbed her shoulder. She nearly screamed from the surprise. Esgalan lead her back to where they were before and sat her down.  
  
"What did you do?" he asked, looking intensely into her eyes.  
  
"I was just getting us some food," she said innocently. She brought out the cloth and opened it, revealing that she did, in fact, get food.  
  
"You stole that food from the fellowship?"  
  
"Stole is such a strong word.."  
  
"Erin!" he said, a little exasperated.  
  
"They wouldn't mind! If I'd asked Merry and Pippin would have given me some, I'm sure. So, you see, I kind of had permission."  
  
Esgalan rolled his eyes. "At least give me some."  
  
Erin smiled and gave him half of the food, starting to eat her own.  
  
Aragorn looked to Sam. Sam walked over to the frying pan and looked. "Yup, some of the food is gone. What a sneak, stealing food from hobbits!"  
  
"How was she dressed?" Aragorn asked Gimli.  
  
"She was in traveling clothes, looked Elven to me. Not proper for a lady to wear men's clothes, I say."  
  
None of them saw the look on Legolas's face as he looked around them, scanning the landscape for this young woman. He had a sneaking suspicion.  
  
"What is that?" on of them asked. They all looked up to the sky.  
  
"It's nothing but a wisp of cloud," Gimli said.  
  
"It's moving fast, against the wind," Boromir said.  
  
"Crebain from Duneland!" Legolas cried. They all gathered their things quickly, putting out the fire, and finding a place to hide.  
  
Erin looked up at the sky.  
  
"Hey Esgalan?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"What's that?"  
  
She pointed up to the sky where they dark smudge was. Esgalan's eyes widened.  
  
"Crebain from Duneland! Hide!"  
  
They grabbed their things and hid under the bushes. The crebain flew over them, up to where the fellowship was located, circling once, then flying away. Erin crawled out from under the bush and looked up towards the fellowship. They were all emerging from their hiding spots. It seemed that they were heading off again.  
  
"Looks like we have to go again," Erin said.  
  
Esgalan looked up towards the fellowship. "Which way will they go?" he asked no one in particular, watching them closely. "It looks like they are going over Caradhras."  
  
Erin looked up in the direction that Esgalan was looking, up at the large, foreboding mountain. "Um, we're going up there?" she asked nervously.  
  
"It seems to be that way."  
  
"I don't think I like this idea."  
  
"Neither do I."  
  
They headed off after the fellowship, making sure that they were not seen.  
  
Frodo trampled through the snow, weary, about to fall at any moment. He looked up at the mountain, dread filling his mind. His eyes widened as he lost his footing and began to fall back down the slowly incline that they were on. He came to a halt in front of Aragorn, who helped him stand. Frodo instinctively reaching for the ring around his neck, it wasn't there. He began to panic, looking around the snow frantically.  
  
Then his eyes fell upon it as Boromir picked it up. He gave the man a wary look. Boromir seemed lost in thought, staring at the ring, a distant look in his eyes.  
  
"Tis a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing," he said, almost dreamily.  
  
"Boromir!"  
  
Aragorn's words seemed to snap him out of his trance.  
  
"Give the ring to Frodo." Aragorn had a grim look on his face, his hand gripped the hilt of his sword.  
  
Boromir walked towards Frodo and held the ring out in front of him. He plastered a smile on his face. "I care not."  
  
Frodo snatched the ring away and placed it around his neck once more. Boromir messed up Frodo's hair and walked forward again, through the snow.  
  
Erin and Esgalan had watched the scene from afar. Esgalan turned to whisper in her ear.  
  
"The power of the ring is very tempting, and the race of men is easily corrupted."  
  
Erin turned to him. "Not the entire race of men is easily corrupted. I do not think that I am easily corrupted."  
  
"No one does," he said cryptically. She glared at him slightly.  
  
"Elves!" she sighed loudly. "You think you're so perfect. You're not you know!"  
  
"I know that," Esgalan said, a smile playing across his face at her obvious offense to his statement. He hadn't meant her.  
  
They continued to walk on, plowing through the snow.  
  
A few hours later.  
  
Erin pushed her way through the three-foot deep snow, every so often turning to glare at Esgalan. Of course. She should have guessed that Elves could walk on snow. Not only that, but they didn't get cold, where as she probably had snot icicles hanging out of her nose. This was taking forever with her having to plow through this. The fellowship was far ahead of them, and had already plowed the snow quite a bit, but the sides were caving in and it was snowing heavily, so the trenches that they had created were already filling.  
  
Erin glared up at Esgalan again before speaking. "Can you see them?"  
  
"No! But that is probably best! If I could see them, that means that Legolas could see us!" he called over the loud wind. "I am going to go ahead a bit to see how far ahead of us they are."  
  
"Okay. I'll just keep on PLOWING THROUGH the snow instead of WALKING ON IT!!!!" Esgalan smiled at her and walked ahead. Erin continued to grumble as she trudged through the snow. This sucked more than the time she had been caught starting that food fight at a Wal Mart and had to clean the entire thing herself. Esgalan returned a few moments later.  
  
"I still can't see them, hey have a good lead on us."  
  
Erin sighed and didn't respond. She was freezing her ass off. Whether that was literal or not, she wasn't sure. She thought that it fell off a few hour ago, but there was a chance that it was still with her. Her nose had long since left her. Even where she lived it never got THIS cold. It could get really cold, but not with this much wind. This was the most snow that she had seen in her life.  
  
They continued to walk in silence, until the mountain seemed to shake.  
  
"What is that?" Erin asked nervously.  
  
"It sounded like an avalanche."  
  
"Good thing it didn't land on us, huh?"  
  
"I suppose so. It could have landed on Legolas though."  
  
Erin stopped, her throat tightened in worry. Her eyes widened as the though sunk in. Esgalan stopped when he realized that Erin was no longer walking through the snow beside him. He turned to look at her.  
  
"What?" she asked quietly, not looking at him.  
  
"Don't worry, he is an Elf, even if the avalanche did hit him I'm sure he would be fine."  
  
This eased Erin's mind slightly, but she was still worried. She began walking again, trying not to let her thoughts wander too much. Esgalan looked down at the snow below him. They were going to have to catch up. If the fellowship got too much of a lead they would never catch up.  
  
"Erin, we must move faster, or we may not be able to catch up to them again."  
  
She gave him an exasperated look. "I'm moving as fast as I can through this ya know! I can't walk on snow like some!"  
  
He rolled his and and looked back up. He stopped. Erin walked past him a bit before stopping. She turned and looked at him.  
  
"What is it?" she asked.  
  
"Never mind about the whole catching up thing," he said, staring straight ahead of them. Erin followed his gaze and could just barely make out the shapes of nine figures.  
  
Her eyes widened. "Oh shit." She said with a matter of fact tone.  
  
"Yes, I am sure I would agree, if I was certain about what that meant."  
  
They turned around simultaneously and began to run down the slope. At least, Esgalan began to run. Erin just kind of shuffled forward at about three feet per minute. Esgalan sighed and turned, running back to her. He pulled her up out of the snow and ran, still clinging to her arm so that she was flying behind him. Why could he have just carried her before? She would think about that later. They continued running down the slope for a good while before they reached a place where the snow began to thin and they could actually see dirt. Esgalan stopped and panted, dropping Erin on the ground.  
  
"Ouch!" she cried as she hit the ground with a loud thud. She stood and rubbed her sore butt. It seemed that she ended up on it more than her feet.  
  
"So then, what do we do now?" she asked.  
  
"We wait to the side of the path for them to pass by, then we follow them again. It is a good thing I am here with you, otherwise you would have been caught long ago."  
  
She stuck her tongue out at him, then they waited. 


	18. Monsters and Tunnels

A/N:SORRY! I haven't updated in so long I know...I had a kind of writers block. This isn't very long, but I might get another chapter out tonight, if not tonight then probably tomorrow. The interlude, male elf models will also be coming out soon, it was sorta the reason for my block. I wanted to get it out before then next chapter but I figured I should move along with the story. The interlude is about one third done though, so yeah....anyway, hope you like his one. It's a little uneventful, but it's something at least.  
  
Erin dug her toe into the dirt. "Esgalaaaaan," she whined. "How much longer are they going to take?"  
  
"I do not know, they seem to be stuck on how to get in."  
  
"But I see a door right there!"  
  
"Yes, but it appears that you need a password to get in."  
  
"Oh," she said disappointedly, continuing to dig her toe into the dirt. She looked back up at him. "Do you have any idea how pathetic that it?"  
  
"What do you mean?" he asked curiously.  
  
"Well, I mean jeez! A king of men, a very, VERY old wizard, and an almost three thousand year old Elf can't figure out a simple riddle?! It's just pathetic. These guys," she pointed at the group exaggeratedly when she said 'these', "are the people in charge of saving the world?"  
  
Esgalan chuckled at the irony of it all. "Yes, I know, but there is nothing that we can do about it now is there?" he asked, a smile clear in his eyes.  
  
She looked up at him, about to make a retort, until something caught her eye. She stared at the Elf, making him slightly uncomfortable.  
  
"What is it?" he asked nervously.  
  
She didn't answer him, just walked closer to his face and continued to stare into his eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, but then closed it again. She reached out her hand slowly towards his face.  
  
Esgalan was about to panic, what in the world was she doing? Was she going to kiss him? But what about Legolas? Did she not still care for him? His eyes widened slightly. Perhaps she never truly cared for Legolas. Perhaps she only cared for Esgalan and didn't know how to show it. But how did he feel about her? He had never though of her like that before. She always reminded him of what a little sister would be like, and even though she was a full woman, he never pictured her that way.  
  
Erin reached her hand even closer to his face, her own face dangerously close to his. She took her hand, lined the heel of it up with his forehead, and thrust forward, smacking him hard on the forehead, causing him to tumble backwards.  
  
Esgalan was beyond shocked. What in the hell was that? He leapt to his and eyed her before speaking. She looked to be amused. "What was that for?!" he nearly shrieked.  
  
Erin raised her pointer finger up to her lips. "Shhhhhh. We don't want to be caught just yet."  
  
Esgalan could tell that she was trying not to laugh. He felt like smacking her upside the head right there, but knowing her she was clumsy enough to pay herself back for that.  
  
He continued to stare at her, question in his eyes.  
  
"I did that for a very good reason. There is something that I've always noticed about you Elves. When you look at me you're always smiling. But it isn't a happy smile, it's a smile that says, 'I am laughing at you on the inside because I know something that you do not'," Erin stated simply, her arms crossed.  
  
Esgalan's jaw dropped. Erin turned back around to look at the fellowship. She noticed one of the hobbits throwing rock into the water. It was Merry or Pippin, she wasn't sure which, since they were hiding so far away from the fellowship. She saw a man walk towards the hobbit and grab his arm, just before he threw another one. The man leaned in and said something to the hobbit, then turned around and left him there. Erin continued to watch as the hobbit turned around and looked at the door. Another hobbit stood up, he appeared to be saying something to Gandalf. Erin turned to Esgalan.  
  
"Which hobbit is that?" she asked him. He looked over at the group.  
  
"That is Frodo."  
  
Just then the doors opened. Erin wanted to jump up and scream eureka, but contained herself. The fellowship walked inside the doors. Erin gathered herself and began to walk forward. She turned around when she noticed that Esgalan was not following her. "Shouldn't we go, Esgalan?" she asked.  
  
"Wait," he said, his eyes still focused on the entrance. "Something does not seem right about all of this." Erin turned around and looked at the door just as the fellowship came running out. What was going on? Why were they running out. Something in the water caught her eye. Something in it was moving.  
  
"Esgalan!" she whispered in a frightened tone.  
  
"I know," he said, his eyes also focused on the lake.  
  
"They're running out right into a trap!"  
  
"I know!" he said, a little more frustrated. There was nothing that they could do even if they were not worried about getting caught. They were far enough away that. By the time they got there, everything would be over.  
  
Erin screamed as a tentacle came out of the water and grabbed who she guessed was Frodo. She saw Leoglas's head snap around and she clasped her hand over her mouth. Well shit, she was just out to destroy their little quest wasn't she?  
  
She sighed as Legolas's attention was quickly brought back to the creature that was quickly submerging from the lake. Erin wanted to do something to help, but there was little she could do, even if she was there. She could fight orcs, sure, but a tentacle monster would exactly respond too well to martial arts. What was she going to do? Break one of its 100 tentacles? Yeah, that would really slow it down. Could you even break those? They looked pretty flexible.  
  
Esgalan put a hand on her shoulder. "There is nothing that we can do at the moment," he said calmly, though Erin could tell that he was worried.  
  
"So then we're just supposed to stand here and do nothing?!"  
  
"It's either that or we get caught."  
  
"I would rather get caught than have someone get hurt when I could have done something to stop it!" she nearly screamed out her words. She gathered the rest of her things quickly and ran towards the fellowship, keeping low. She didn't want to be seen if at all possible. She stayed in bushes, careful not to trip or make any sound. She glanced up at the fellowship, they had gotten Frodo free and looked like they were about to retreat back into the cave.  
  
Erin glanced back and noticed Esgalan following right behind her. That was good. As she rounded a corner she almost peed her pants. There was the tentacle monster. The fellowship was safe, but how in the hell was she supposed to get past that thing and follow them into the cave? Then an answer presented itself. It was simple. She wasn't supposed to.  
  
She almost yelled out in despair when the creature pulled down the doors, causing rocks to fall and block the entrance. She stopped dead in her track. Esgalan, who was merely following Erin's path didn't have time to stop when she halted and ran right into her. They tumbled forward with a loud thump. Erin struggled under him to get free, but stopped when he placed a hand on her shoulder.  
  
He was lying on top of her and didn't want her to move to get free. She blushed furiously until she realized why she wasn't supposed to move. The noise of their fall had caused the beast to look in their direction. Erin froze completely. The redness in her cheeks faded as she thought about the possibility that she might die. Slowly, the creature re-submerged itself in the lake. She let out another sigh of relief as Esgalan hopped up off of her back and landed softly on the ground.  
  
Erin stood up, clearly angry. How were they supposed to follow the fellowship now? She didn't even know where they were going! She turned to Esgalan for help. He wasn't looking at her. In fact, he was staring at a spot somewhere far behind her. She turned around slowly, fearing that the monster might have come back.  
  
Confusion filled her eyes when she saw something small moving amongst some rocks. It was a greenish grey, thin, and had a general bad feel to it. "What is that?" she whispered.  
  
"It is the creature Gollum," he stated, never tearing his eyes away from the thing.  
  
  
  
Legolas looked at the entrance, his eyes narrowing. He had heard a scream when the monster grabbed Frodo. It had, in fact, been what alerted him to the event. It was a female scream, that was for sure. He thought that it sounded familiar, but he wasn't sure from where. He turned around and followed after the rest of the fellowship as they continued to walk further into the caves. He hated caves.  
  
  
  
Erin turned to Esgalan. "Gollum?"  
  
"Yes. A foul creature. It wants the ring. It continues to hold a grudge."  
  
"A grudge from what?"  
  
"Bilbo, one of Frodo's kin, found it when he was in the misty mountains. It could make him appear invisible, that is how he escaped. The Ring corrupted Gollum so completely that it consumes his every hour. He kept it for around six hundred years."  
  
"How do you know all of this?" Erin asked curiously. "Legolas didn't seem to know this much."  
  
Esgalan looked down and smiled at her with his eyes. There was that stupid kind of smile again. She wanted to smack him, but held herself back so that she could get this information out of him.  
  
"Because I am friends with the Lady Galadriel, and she knows much. "  
  
Galadriel? Who was that? Erin figured that she would find out soon enough, so she dropped the subject.  
  
Erin turned back to the creature. "Where is Gollum going?" she asked.  
  
"It seems that we are not the only ones following the fellowship," Esgalan said simply. Erin paled. An idea struck her.  
  
"Well, he looks like he's trying to find a way in, maybe we can follow him."  
  
Esgalan looked at her thoughtfully. "Maybe we can."  
  
  
  
  
  
Erin almost yelped as she accidentally cut her wrist on a sharp rock. Well they had decided to follow Gollum. She wasn't too happy about the path that he chose, though. It seemed that the only other way in was through a very small tunnel that went into the side of the mountain. The tunnel was less than three feet wide, so they were left to climb through it on their hands and knees.  
  
They were very careful to make sure that Gollum didn't know that they were following. Esgalan had explained that the creature would have no problem murdering them. Since then, Erin had been very careful. Erin continued to crawl forward, despite the blood that was oozing from her wrist. Esgalan, who was crawling behind her, stopped when he felt his hand land in something warm and stick.  
  
He couldn't see what it was in this light, so he raised it up to his mouth and let the tip of his tongue touch it. As soon as it made contact his eyes widened. He reached forward and grabbed Erin's foot to stop her. She stopped and turned around as best as she could in the small space.  
  
"What?" she whispered.  
  
"Are you injured?" he asked, his voice full of concern.  
  
Erin tried to think before answering. She didn't want him to worry, but she didn't want to lie either. She came to a decision on what to say. "It's only a little scratch, I'll be fine."  
  
Esgalan held his hands forward. "Let me see."  
  
She began to turn around to continue when his voice stopped her again.  
  
"Let me see," he said more sternly. She sighed and turned around fully, extending her hand to him. He used what little light was in the tunnel and focused on her hand. There was a deep gash on her right wrist that was still oozing.  
  
"Just a little scratch?!" he asked incredulously. "If this is a scratch to you I would hate to see what you think a fatal wound is!"  
  
She chuckled at his joke and winced when she felt water being poured over her cut.  
  
"You shouldn't waste the water, you know."  
  
"I would not exactly call this wasting it. This need to be cleaned and bandaged. You can die from bleeding to death, or did you not know that?"  
  
"You can die from bleeding to death?! Wow!" she said sarcastically.  
  
"This is not the time for humor." Esgalan ripped a piece of cloth off of his tunic and wrapped it around her wrist. She winced again, sucking a sharp breath in through her teeth. Esgalan gentled his movements and he tied it snugly around her wrist.  
  
"There, now we can go foreward," he said, satisfied with her work.  
  
Erin rolled her eyes and turned back around, continuing forward. "Thank you mother," she said sarcastically. Esgalan rolled his eyes back at her.  
  
"Yes, my dear daughter."  
  
Erin stopped and grunted as Esgalan ran into the back of her.  
  
"Ouch!" he cried. "Why did you stop?"  
  
"I stopped because there is a dead end."  
  
"Another one?"  
  
"Yeah, guess we should have taken a right instead of left huh?"  
  
"Yes, I would guess so."  
  
They turned around as best as they could and crawled through the tunnel. "We're never going to catch up with them," Erin sighed, very exasperated. They came back into the fork in their path and turned the opposite way from what they had a few moments ago. Now Esgalan was in the front. They had already ran into about five dead ends through the many forks in the tunnel. It seemed that every time they chose the opposite one from what they should.  
  
They came to another fork. "Okay Esgalan, I'm choosing this time."  
  
"Fine, you go in front then. I don't want to be the one running into a dead end."  
  
Erin sighed. "Fine." She crawled to the left and went forward. They had been in these tunnels for at least an hour. There was no telling how far in front of them the fellowship was now. Erin lifted her head up and took in a deep lungful of air as she smelled something. It wasn't a good smell, but it was different from the smell of the tunnels.  
  
"What is it?" Esgalan asked.  
  
"I smell something." Esgalan lifted his own head up and took in a lungful.  
  
"What is that smell?"  
  
"I'm not sur-"  
  
Erin was cut off as her hand, instead of meeting with rock, met air, and she tumbled forward. She fell what she guessed must have been about six feet and landed in a heap on the hard rock floor. Esgalan, suddenly aware of her absence, stopped at the edge of the ledge and looked down at Erin's disheveled body.  
  
"It's a good thing that you went in front huh?" he called down to her. She was tempted to flip him off at that remark but instead picked herself up, and dusted her body off.  
  
"Get down here you-"  
  
"No need for name calling," he said, hopping down from the ledge and waving his finger at her in the 'no. no' wave. She rolled her eyes at him.  
  
"It seems that we finally got into the caves," she said, stating the obvious. "Now we just need to find out where the fellowship is."  
  
Esgalan pointed to their side. "Could that be them?" he asked.  
  
Erin looked to their side. There was the fellowship, about twenty feet away from them. Erin and Esgalan looked at each other simultaneously, then, in one fluid movement, they each ducked behind two different pillars. 


	19. Important, READ!

I just needed to say something, yes I know, it isn't really an update, but I needed to tell you all this. First of all, I need you to send me ideas if you have any, they are always much appreciated, along with reviews. I've got about one page on the new chapter, but I promise I will have it updated by the end of this weekend. If I don't then you can all flame me and throw rocks at me. But the main point of this is for me to say. YOU SHOULD READ Destiny's Ring by Aelora and review it many times! Yes, you should. I would have to say that, although it may be slightly Mary Suish (not like my story isn't) it is one of my favorite stories in all of ff.net. Plus, she deserves more reviews than she has. It is truly a good read. She also has the sequel out to the story, called Forever and Always. Yes, so anyway, that's all I really had to say. For those of you who have read it and reviewed it, GOOD JOB! I commend you. 


	20. The Eye

I could feel it: the need to go somewhere. I placed my hand on the door handle carefully, as though it may burn me at any second. The metal was cold, telling me that the night air on the other side matched its temperature. Careful to make no sound, I pushed the door open, immediately assaulted by the cool night breeze. I turned and slowly shut the door which had begun to creak on its hinges. My hair, which was whipped around in the wind, stung my face as small strands of it flicked me. I brushed it to the side of my face and took a step forward, allowing my foot to ease down on one of the wooden steps leading down to the ground. I took another step, freezing in my spot when it let out a small groan in protest to the new weight placed on it. I eased my weight forward and stepped onto the hard ground.  
  
Erin stopped. What was that memory? It seemed so familiar, yet not. The memory seemed to wrap around her, enveloping her in its cold night air.  
  
My feet were bare on the cold, compacted clay floor. I walked quietly forward, disappearing into the darkness that consumed my yard. Soon I was at the edge of a forest. I could see my breath billowing out into the air, creating an eerie fog in front of me. Using ease that came from familiarity, I ducked around the trees and strode forward. I raised my hands up and cupped them around my mouth, whispering into the wind. "Alea? Tula sinome, Alea."  
  
Erin was drawn from the memory again. Alea? She was telling Alea to come to her? Who was Alea? Erin let herself be sucked back into the memory, which seemed to want to force her to remember it.  
  
I listened closely to the light thudding of hooves on the packed dirt. Soon, the glow of the moon illuminated the form of a tall, white horse. The horse searched for me, its eyesight failing in the dark. I reached my hands forward, allowing the large creature to sniff me. It walked forward, rubbing its head against my side, no doubt trying to remove some mud from its snout.  
  
This memory, it scared her. She had never experienced it before, but she was remembering it, and she spoke in it. It was as though she was there, right as it was happening. She was in this place, she could feel the cold, could feel the ground under her feet.  
  
I walked around to the side of the horse, running my hands down its long, smooth neck and along its side. Her fur was cool to the touch, but when I dug my fingers into it I could feel the heat of her body. I pressed my face up against her side, immediately noticing the dusty smell that filled my nostrils. I looked up at the moon, sighing. "Sen du maer aen," I said to myself. I took a deep breath in through my mouth and coughed when a light layer of dust, created by the dirty horse's movement, coated my tongue. It was a taste that reminded me of the earth. Years of decay were in that dirt.  
  
"Sen du maer aen. This night...What is the rest?" Erin tried to search her mind for what the rest meant, but couldn't find anything.  
  
Slowly, I raised my hand up to the made of the agile horse and hopped off the ground, using the mane to pull myself up onto her back. She shifted under my weight and began to walk forward, knowing that I wished her to do so. As she walked towards the gate of the yard, I noticed that her fur was catching the moon.  
  
She seemed to give off an ethereal glow that surrounded me, causing me to glow as well. The wind blew through the trees, creating a whooshing sound that appeared to echo, although there was no way that it could be doing so. All was silent except for the sound of the wind and my horse.  
  
The horse stopped in front of a giant gate and waited impatiently for me to open it, stamping her foot. I reached out and pushed on the large wooden door, leaning far to the side to do so, while trying not to allow gravity to overtake me and pull me back to the earth where I belonged. My fingers once again came in contact with cold wood which seemed to bite at me hungrily, trying to reclaim my heat as its own. The large wooden apparatus creaked open, slowly swinging forward until I was able to move through it.  
  
I reached my hand up to my eye shaped scar which lay on my neck, touching it lightly. Finally I would be allowed my night alone, away from the land full of hectic happenings and people following me around. I would be away, able to ride through the quiet forest where the only sound to disturb me would be the gentle, caressing lullaby of the wind.  
  
Erin's eyes snapped open. What in the hell was that? It was over, she could tell, but what a strange memory. It was also strange that she kept calling it that. It was a memory that she had never before experienced. Alea, that was the horse's name, and what was that sentence? Sen du maer aen? She would have to ask an Elf about it.  
  
Erin looked up. Where was she? She couldn't remember. She was standing behind a large pillar, then everything came back to her. Cripe, she hoped that the fellowship hadn't noticed her. Had they heard her fall? Did they see her? Her fall wasn't that loud, and when Esgalan and her talked they had whispered. Still, the Elf probably heard.  
  
She slowly looked around the pillar, careful that the fellowship didn't see her. The were all walking forward as though they had heard nothing. She looked at Legolas. He was smirking. Smirking? She was taken aback, she had never seen an Elf smirk before. Sure, she had seen Esgalan laugh at her, but never smirk. She wondered what could possibly be on the Elf's mind to make him smirk.  
  
An odd idea popped into her head that made her blush. Of course the Elf could not be thinking about THAT...........could he? She shook her head, clearing the thought from her mind. It seemed that the fellowship had just come around a bend at the end of a long flight of stairs. Perhaps that's why they had not heard her, but she still couldn't explain why the Elf hadn't.  
  
Maybe he was too lost in thought, thinking about things that she may not want to know about. Finally the fellowship passed them. They were heading up some stairs, getting further and further away from the two stalkers.  
  
Erin waited until they had rounded a corner at the top of the stairs before removing herself from behind the pillar. She saw Esgalan step out from behind one then turn to her.  
  
"You were worried that we would never catch up to them?" he asked sarcastically. Erin gave him a look that said shut-up-or-die and continued walking slowly after the fellowship.  
  
Erin sat down and pulled some food out of her pack. She could barely tell what the food was in the dark, but decided that it could do her little harm even if she didn't know what it was. That had already been in the caves for a couple of days. At least she thought so, she couldn't be sure. She knew it was a long time though. She had already slept twice, but knowing her that didn't help much. Even in the light she could sleep at any time of day as though she hadn't slept in weeks.  
  
She would sleep while Esgalan kept watch behind them and on the fellowship, making sure that they wouldn't leave when the two stalkers weren't aware of it. If that happened they could be lost in the dark caverns forever. The scariest thing about that was that it wasn't an exaggeration. Erin didn't know what could possibly be living in these caves, and she was sure that she didn't want to know. Which was the exact reason that she hadn't asked Esgalan. If she asked him he would be sure to give her gruesome details.  
  
It seemed that the fellowship was currently at a cross road of sorts. Gandalf was set away from the rest of them on top of a rock. It seemed that he didn't remember the way out, which was very unnerving to Erin. If the fellowship got lost then they would become lost as well. Erin finished up whatever it was that she was eating quickly. She turned to Esgalan who, in turn, placed a finger up to his lips in a 'be quiet' motion.  
  
Erin gave him a puzzled look and turned back to the fellowship. Frodo was talking to Gandalf and they were both looking in the direction of the two stalkers. Erin froze, holding her breath without realizing that she was doing so. Erin watched the wizard and hobbit closely, searching for any recognition on their faces in the dim light that Gandalf's staff was putting out.  
  
Recognition seemed to flutter across their features before Gandalf spoke and a look of fear became present on Frodo's features. Erin was, once again, confused. Even if they had discovered that the two were following them, why on earth would Frodo be afraid? Then Erin noticed that he wasn't exactly looking at them, he was looking right above them.  
  
Erin turned her head upward slowly, so slowly that it would be imperceptible to anyone looking in their direction. She almost screamed when she saw what it was that Frodo was afraid of. No more than three feet above her, on a ledge, peeking between some rocks, was the creature Gollum. This was the first up close look at the creature that she'd had. Now she wished that she'd never seen the thing.  
  
It was then that she also noticed the smell. It was foul, smelled of rotting fish and something else that she did not want to think about. Erin clasped a hand to her mouth to keep from crying out in surprise. This little escapade was not exactly turning out the way that she had planned.  
Erin tiptoed forward. The fellowship had taken off, but she didn't know far ahead of her and Esgalan they were and she couldn't see them around the bend in the stairs. If she ran into them she was a dead woman. Legolas would kill her. She would die a horrible, horrible death, most probably involving trees, rope, cod liver oil, and a legion of orcs. She didn't pay much attention as she walked, her mind now invaded with the thoughts of her terrible demise. She didn't notice the goblin skull that lay on one of the steps.  
Erin took another step forward, her foot landing on something slightly round. Her eyes widened as the round thing, located beneath her foot, began to slip across the floor, with her still standing on it. She turned her head around and looked at Esgalan who was reaching out for her, hoping to stop her descent, thus saving her life from a very angry fellowship. The skull continued to slide, causing her to fall just out of Esgalan's reach and to her certain death. She tried not to scream as the severed and decayed head came completely out from beneath her foot and she fell, tumbling head over heels down the stairs.  
  
The fellowship froze. There was a loud sound heading straight for them. It sounded like many orcs were charging down the stairs at them. Everyone drew their swords and bows, knocking arrows and standing at the ready. If they were to die by a surprise attack from the foulest of creatures, then they would at least take some down with them. They watched the stairs with trepidation, waiting for the attack to make itself apparent. Finally, they saw movement. It seemed that something was rolling down the stairs towards them.  
  
Erin tried to clear her head as something in her path brought her frenzied descent to an immediate halt. Her head was spinning and her eyes couldn't focus. Slowly her senses came back to her and she looked up. Her eyes ran up along the blade of a sword, continuing up until it reached a face. At the other end of the offending sword stood Aragorn, looking at her with a very serious expression.  
She stood slowly, holding up her hands to indicate that she held no weapon. She clenched her teeth as she stood, reaching her hands down to rub her sore butt. It appeared that Aragorn recognized her from somewhere but couldn't place her. "Who are you? What business have you in Moria?" he asked sternly. Erin looked at him sheepishly.  
"Oh, nothing much. I just decided to go for a walk, ya know, restless and all." Erin smiled brightly, hoping that he would not realize her lie. He looked at her seriously. Erin flinched unconsciously as someone called her name.  
  
"Erin? Is that you?" She saw someone step forward, but couldn't force herself to look at his face. Finally she gathered her courage and looked up.  
"Oh, hey Legolas. Whatcha doin in a place like this?" He gazed at her sternly.  
Erin prayed for death as the lecture continued. It seemed that everyone in the fellowship was going to have a go at her. She wondered though, where was Esgalan? He was probably following behind her, not wanting to be caught like she had done.  
  
"Erin? What made you come after us?"  
  
She looked up at Aragorn, not sure how to answer without another lecture being brought out of it. "Well, I wanted an adventure, and I hate being left out. The way that you guys just left me was cruel ya know......" She winced as she received another grin from Aragorn. "Guess this is not the time for sarcasm ne?" she asked.  
  
"No, it is not."  
  
"It was you wasn't it?"  
  
Erin looked at Gimli, wondering what he meant by that question. He answered her quizzical look.  
  
"You were the one who stole some of our food, weren't you?" Erin looked at him sheepishly, scratching the back of her head.  
  
"Um, no..........of course not."  
  
"Yes it was, I'm sure of it." Erin sighed in defeat.  
  
"Yeah, that was me, but I was really hungry. And you guys had food and I didn't! It just smelled so good so-" she was cut off by Legolas speaking.  
  
"Don't you know how dangerous this is?"  
  
Erin got angry at the comment. Did he think that she was some kind of wuss? Sure she was clumsy sometimes, and sure she had been beaten up pretty badly before, but she was outnumbered and alone then. She had also learned more about the dangers of this place since then.  
  
"You want to save me now do you?" she spat. "Why couldn't you save me before? When I really needed it! Why couldn't you save me from Arwen instead of taking her side?!" she was now nearly yelling. Legolas seemed to wince at these words, but remained strong, matching her tone.  
  
"This is different, Erin, and you know it!"  
  
Erin got chills when he said her name that way. She would hate to get in a full out verbal fight with him, but it seemed that she might be reaching that now. The rest of the fellowship knew to stay out of this, though Aragorn wondered what she was talking about when it came to Arwen.  
  
"Who cares if it's different! You should still believe me! If you only would have listened-"  
"It wouldn't have changed anything anyway! Quit being so childish!"  
  
Erin was taken aback by his words. Those had hurt. She had never really thought of herself as childish, but the worry was at the back of her mind. It seemed that he was just confirming one of her insecurities. She put her wall back up, the one that she had built before she came to this world, the one that would protect her from everyone, the one that would keep her from getting close to everyone.  
  
Erin fixed her eyes in a hard stare, steadying her rapidly increasing heartbeat. "What makes you think that you matter anyway!?" she asked coldly, venom dripping from her voice. It seemed that that one may have really hit Legolas. Erin felt the edges of guilt slowly begin to grip her. She pushed it down and continued her onslaught, refusing to allow him to hurt her without getting anything in return.  
  
"You are nothing to me." She finished coldly, turning on her heel and walking away from him, not allowing him a response. She felt tears sting her eyes. She had lied and she knew it. Legolas did mean something to her, quite a lot in fact. It had built up over the time that she knew him. He was, in fact, the thing that she cared about most in this place. She knew that she would regret what she had said. She also wondered if she would be able to take the cold shoulder from him during the rest of this trip.  
Erin dropped to the ground as they stopped to rest. She felt terrible. They had been walking for eight hours and now she didn't know how much longer she could handle this tension. She knew that she had cut Legolas deeply with her words. He cared about her, she knew that he did, and she had no right to say what she had. The one thing that bothered her though, was that she was far too prideful to apologize.  
  
She had to though, otherwise this would eat away at her. She'd done something like this before, but only to people that she didn't exactly care about. This was the first time that she felt bad about it too. They were stopping to sleep since they couldn't tell when it was night or day. She watched as Legolas sat down on the cold, hard ground to rest. She wanted desperately to go to him, knowing that he wouldn't come to her after what she had said.  
  
She focused on the ground. It was cold. It reminded her of that "memory" she'd had. Her thoughts went back to what the woman had said. Why did it seem so important for her to find out what they meant? The scar. She remembered the scar, the one on her leg. This was interesting.  
  
Erin stood and walked over to Legolas.  
Legolas looked up as someone approached him. Their steps sounded guarded, cautious. His eyes met Erin's. They stared at one another for a moment, her never moving from her position in front of him, then she dropped her eyes to the ground. Legolas thought about what she had said to him. "What makes you think that you matter anyway? You are nothing to me." Her words echoed in his mind. They were so cold, laced with hate. Where had that hate come from?  
  
He looked up again as she began to speak. "Do you mind if I sit here?" she asked quietly, making sure that no one heard her speak. Legolas shook his head, indicating that he didn't mind. Erin sat down next to him slowly.  
  
She looked at Legolas. He looked upset, and she knew why. New guilt stabbed at her heart. She sat in silence a moment then looked back up at him.  
  
"Listen, Legolas. I'm sorry. I should not have said what I did. I didn't mean it, really I didn't. It's just that............well...........you hurt my feelings and I wanted you to feel the same. But what I said was so much worse than what you did." Erin stopped and waited for a reaction from him.  
  
He was looking at her intensely, his eyes searching for something within her. She wished that she knew what he was searching for, but didn't. Finally he spoke.  
  
"I forgive you. But I want to know two things." He waited for Erin to reply. She nodded for him to go ahead. "Where did all that hate in your voice come from? I can't imagine how you could have conjured it up so easily." Erin winced at the question. Legolas noticed this action and was about to tell her that she needn't answer, but she began to reply.  
  
"It's from long ago. Where I come from people aren't so forgiving of being unable to speak, so I had to build walls so that it wouldn't effect me. I just use whatever anger I have left from that when I need it. What was the second thing?"  
  
Legolas looked into her eyes, inspecting her closely before he asked. "DO you care about me?" Erin, who was looking at the floor at the moment, snapped her head up, looking at him very closely. He seemed as though he needed her answer desperately, as though the fate of his soul depended on this answer. She smiled at him, this only seemed to confuse him more.  
  
Erin lean forward and kissed him. It was not like the kisses they had shared before. This one was intense, full of desire. Legolas ran his tongue along the outside of her lips, indicating that he wanted more. Erin permitted it and opened her mouth, taking in his sweet taste.  
  
She reveled in the feel of his tongue on hers, the way it caressed and moved. It felt so right, as though she had been waiting for this moment all her life. It was as though her body was waiting for him and him alone, and now it reacted severely to his touch. She pulled away from him, looking into his eyes. It seemed that he felt the same way about her. Erin smiled and moved towards him again, once again allowing her mouth to be devoured by him.  
  
She reached her hands up to his head and ran her fingers through his soft, golden hair. As they kissed she rubbed the nape of his neck gently, every so often running her fingers through his hair. She let her nails run lightly along his scalp. Her eyes opened when she felt a moan come from his throat at this. She smiled against his lips and did it again, her rewards being another moan. His moan turned her on more than anything else ever could. She pulled away from him again, noticing an expression on his face unlike any other that she'd seen.  
  
It was a look of love and...........she couldn't quite place it. Finally, she recognized it. It was a look of lust. Legolas reached out and pulled her onto his lap, her back to him. He nuzzled into her hair. Erin felt his hot and ragged breath on the back of her neck, this sent tingles up her spine. Legolas reached his hands around her waist and held her there, kissing her neck lightly. Erin allowed her own small moan to escape her lips when he began to nibble along the back of her neck and down her shoulder.  
  
This man was amazing. Everything about him turned her on. Erin reached her hands up to his head and rand her fingers through his hair again. She used her nails again and ran them lightly along his scalp, gasping when he bit down lightly on her neck and growled. Erin could feel his need beneath her.  
  
She blushed furiously at this, but decided to ignore it for now. She felt Legolas playing with the bottom of her tunic. It seemed that he was asking permission. She granted it by reaching down and touching his hands gently. Legolas slid his hands up her shirt, stopping before he reached her breast. He caressed her stomach slowly, feeling the warmth coming from her.  
  
Erin turned around a bit, once again wanting access to his mouth. She felt herself moving against the bulge in his pants. He bit down on her shoulder once again as she moved. Not hard enough to hurt, but it was enough to let her know what she was doing to him. She stopped moving for a moment, looking him in the eyes. She turned once again, this time purposely rubbing against him. His eyes widened at the movement. She felt him grip her tightly to keep from crying out. She smiled at him, moving down and claiming his mouth as her own.  
  
Their tongues met again, passionately. Erin pulled away finally, bringing all of it to a stop before it got too far. They were both breathing heavily. Erin looked at him and spoke raggedly. "So, you forgive me then?" she asked.  
  
Legolas smiled at her and laid down on the hard floor, pulling her with him. He snuggled up to her back, lifting one of his legs over hers, and wrapping his arms around her so that she was completely enveloped by him. Erin felt his heat against her back and sighed. All of this felt so right. With their legs wrapped around each others, and their arms tangled, they fell peacefully asleep, forgetting about all of their troubles.  
Erin awoke to someone shaking her gently. She didn't want to get up, it was too warm. "Erin. Come on, get up, we are about to leave." Her eyes fluttered open when she recognized Legolas's voice. She was still wrapped in his arms, but was turned so that her face was pressed up against his chest. She inhaled his wonderful scent and sat up, stretching.  
Legolas smiled gently at her. She returned his smile, leaning forwards and placing a quick kiss on his lips. Erin turned as she heard giggling behind her. Merry and Pippin stood there, watching the scene of Legolas and Erin. Erin glared at them.  
  
"Merry, it seems that our dear friend Erin got lucky last night!" Pippin said to Merry, none to quietly.  
  
"It would seem to be that way, wouldn't it Pip?" The two Hobbits looked at each other, obviously proud of their performance. Erin leapt up from the ground and began to chase them around, a blush apparent on her face.  
  
"Oh I am SO going to kill you guys!" she called, nearly caught up with them. Legolas chuckled at their antics. Erin could be childlike, but he loved her like that. Erin and the Hobbits halted quickly as they almost ran into Gandalf, each of them running into the back of the other when they stopped.  
  
"The time for games is over, now we must leave," he said sternly. Erin rolled her eyes after he turned around, unconsciously matching Merry and Pippin's exact expressions.  
  
Erin grabbed her pack and followed the fellowship, directly behind Legolas, as they began to walk. She decided that she would just zone things out for a while since she was bored out of her mind. The next thing she knew there was a cry. Erin looked up as Gimli ran off into a room. The rest of the fellowship ran after him.  
  
They entered a large room with a single pillar of light piercing through the darkness. She didn't realize how much she missed the light until now. It seemed to lift her spirits greatly. She listened as Gimli cried out about someone named Balin. She felt sorry for the poor dwarf, it sounded like he really cared about this person. Erin listened to Gandalf as he read out of a book.  
  
She was so distracted by Gimli that she only heard the last words that came from Gandalf's mouth.  
  
"They are coming."  
  
That line gave Erin chills. She wondered what exactly was "coming", but tried not to think about the horrible possibilities. She was distracted once again by a loud banging noise. Her head snapped around to see Pippin wincing as something fell down a well. With each loud thump or clang he flinched, closing his eyes tightly.  
  
Gandalf stepped forward. "Fool of a Took! Next time throw yourself in and rid us of your stupidity!" Erin winced at Gandalf's words, so she couldn't imagine how poor Pip felt. Everyone waited, frozen. There was no sound. Relief spread across everyone's faces. Then the drums started. They were drums that came from far away, but they seemed to be getting closer and faster.  
  
Boromir ran to the door and looked out. Arrows hit the door, inches away from his head. He turned back around. "They have a cave troll," he said, seeming to be mock happy about it. Erin looked around the room, taking in every detail so that she could use anything that she needed to aid her later. All that she had with her were two long knives, but she didn't necessarily need them. Her style was to fight with her hands anyway, although the deadly and sharp objects could aid her. They would certainly make killing easier and faster.  
  
Erin withdrew them from her pack and readied herself as some of the men barricaded the doors. She watched everyone else. The Hobbits were all gathered in a tight group. It seemed secure, so Erin moved over to them, making herself a part of the group.  
  
There was pounding on the door. She watched as a hole was broken in the door. She sneered at the ugly creatures that lay on the other side. Legolas and Aragorn were right there, shooting arrows at the things. 'Ha!' she thought. 'They'll never get in here!'  
  
Then the door broke down. She tried to keep herself from laughing nervously as many orcs, or whatever they were, she wasn't sure, rushed in the room. The first wave of them was being taken care of by the larger men. It wasn't long, however, before they had reached the Hobbits and herself. She slashed at the desperately. On their journey, whenever they had spare time, Esgalan had taught her how to use them.  
  
She was a beginner, but combined with her ability to fight bare handed, she made quite the killing machine. She forgot that she had the knives in her hands, really. She would just punch at something, or move to smash their neck, but the knives were there, so they were immediately dying instead of just wounded or bruised.  
  
Erin tried to close everything out of her mind, focusing entirely on the fight taking place before her. If she wanted to remain unhurt then she would need to focus only on the opponent she was fighting at the time. It was then, with that thought, that her mind created just such a situation for her, without her even being able to control it.  
  
Everything around her went black. Everything, except what was within five feet of her. She couldn't see beyond the five feet. Couldn't see the ground, the ceiling. She could only see things laying on the floor, so that she could avoid them, or anything coming at her. It was like a giant black canvas where things would pop in and out of her line of vision. When they would get far enough away, it was as though the blackness swallowed them so that she could focus only on what was an immediate threat.  
  
Her mind seemed to snap. There was no rational thought. Only one thought remained in her mind. Kill, or you will die. Her eyes seemed to hollow out as she felt her entire body run with energy. It coursed through her veins. She was focused entirely. Nothing could stop her now.  
  
Something entered her vision. An orc. She smiled, jumping forward and slashing at it with all her might. The thing fell to the ground, dead, before it knew what hit it. Another entered her vision. She leapt at it also, completely severing its head. Another and another. On her right, left, behind her. They were all charging her.  
  
Erin jumped up in a back flip over the one behind her. Without hesitation she leapt forward, stabbing him in the backbone. She could feel the knife stop at the edge of the bone. Before the creature could pull away, she put the heel of her other hand on the bottom of the knife and used both of her hand to push forward, cutting completely through the bone and severing the spinal cord.  
  
The creature fell to the ground and didn't move. It couldn't move, it was now paralyzed. Erin turned just as the other two creatures there were only two feet away from her. She pulled her arm to the side, pulling it through the flesh of the creature it was in, making the knife rip out of its side, and swung her arm around, cutting the throat of the closest orc. She jumped into the air, over the other charging her, causing it to run harmlessly under her.  
  
She was surprised when the orc looked up at her, in mid air, and reached up, grabbing her foot, and slammed her to the ground. She hit with a loud thud and climbed back up to her feet, dodging a blow from the thing. She used one of her knives to stab him in the gut, and the other to stab him in the neck. Her lips twisted with distaste when she heard a gurgling noise coming from its throat.  
  
It fell to the ground, dead. The orcs were gone, no more were appearing. What was going on? She looked around wildly, still black. She felt something that made the hairs on the back of her neck rise. It seemed to call to her, though there was no voice. She turned around, looking for danger, but there was none. Her senses were flooded with the feeling of another being.  
  
She felt it calling to her, but no sound. Her body straightened quickly as it was taken over. She couldn't move. In this sudden black, she couldn't move.  
Legolas looked for Erin, wondering if she was in danger. The cave troll was in, and most of the orcs were gone, but she could still be injured by the troll. He eyes fell upon her and he was immediately confused at her stance. The was standing tall, straight as a board, her arms limply at her sides, still holding two long knives. Her eyes were wide and blank.  
  
Concern played across Legolas's face as he continued to stare at her. His attention was brought back to him as a chain came flying at him.  
Erin watched as an eye appeared in front of her. It was closed, glowing blue. She watched as it grew bigger. No, it wasn't growing bigger. It was getting closer to her. She could feel it watching her through its closed lid. She felt the pulling again. This eye was calling her name with no voice. It was more like her name was a presence in her mind, but the name was not her own. She wasn't sure whose it was.  
  
It seemed familiar, yet distant, like that memory. She stared at the eye, never blinking. Suddenly it snapped open, searching her soul. It was so close to her she could hardly bear it. It burned into her. The eye closed again, glowing blue and drawing back. Erin felt a little more relaxed now that its intense gaze was no longer focused on her. The eye moved closer again, making her nervous. Its glow changed, turning red. Her body felt strange. She could feel herself enveloped in the red glow.  
  
It snapped open again, startling her. This time, when it opened it felt as though her entire body was ripping open, splitting in two. Her leg, the one with the scar, burned. She opened her mouth to scream, throwing her head back in pain, but no noise came out. Then the glow was gone, as well as her pain.  
  
She dropped to the ground and panted, unaware that she had been holding her breath. It was only then that she noticed that someone was holding her, carrying her. They were outside. How were they outside? She looked up at Legolas and stiffened in his arms. He looked like he had been crying.  
  
"What's wrong?" she asked in a quiet voice, testing it out, feeling as though she'd never had one before. He looked down at her and hugged her to him tightly.  
  
"Gandalf is dead," he said quietly. "I thought that you were never going to come back to me, Erin." He hugged her to him again. Erin smiled at him.  
  
"Let me walk," she said gently. He eyed her, but gently placed her down.  
  
"What happened?" he asked, his voice full of concern.  
  
"I'm not sure," she said, suddenly feeling the burning in her leg. She reached down and lifted her pant leg. Her scar had changed. It was now an open eye, instead of a closed one. Legolas stopped when he noticed that she was no longer walking beside him. He studied her as she stared at her leg. The fellowship stopped one by one as they noticed that Erin and Legolas had stopped.  
  
Legolas walked forward and looked at what she was staring at. He froze when he saw it, suddenly feeling dizzy. Erin looked at him.  
  
"What is it, Legolas?" she asked, fear apparent in her voice.  
  
"That is the scar."  
  
"What scar?" Erin asked, more fear finding its way into her voice.  
  
"The scar of my beloved that died many years ago." He looked up at her. His gazed seemed crushed, questioning, sad, and confused all at once. A look that she could not seem to answer no matter how hard she tried.  
A/N: So what do you guys think? Good? Bad? Cliffhanger? Want the little love scene too intense? Not intense enough? I need to know what you guys want when it comes to more love scenes. Would you like this become an R rated fic and a little more, or not? Review and let me know! The next chapter should be very interesting. 


	21. You Are Me, And I Am You

"That is the scar."  
  
"What scar?" Erin asked, more fear finding its way into her voice.  
  
"The scar of my beloved that died many years ago." He looked up at her. His gazed seemed crushed, questioning, sad, and confused all at once. A look that she could not seem to answer no matter how hard she tried.  
  
Erin froze. What was he talking about. She remembered the story of the one her loved, remembered the night he told it to her. It all came back to her in a rush.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Sometimes you seem lost in thought. Sad even. I was just wondering why. That is, of course, if you don't mind me asking."  
  
Legolas turned and smiled at her. "That is a story that has not been told for a long time." His eyes seemed to get that far away look again, as though he were lost in thought. She waited patiently for him to continue, not wanting to push it, until finally he began.  
  
"It was a long time ago, during the war of Eleven. There were two visitors to Mirkwood, which was surprising, because there had not been for some time. It was then that I met Ladhwen."  
  
Erin shuddered involuntarily when she heard that name.  
  
"She would visit me often, telling me of her land. She was an Elf, but she was unlike any other I had ever met before. She had a strange mark on her neck, one that looked like an open eye. It was a small oval with a dot in the middle. I think it was a scar, but from what I do not know."  
  
Erin's eyes widened.  
  
"We knew each other for only a year, but that was enough. We loved each other. Her friend left one day, what happened to her I did not know. But then, one day she reappeared and told me something about Ladhwen. When I approached her about it we fought, and she ran away from me. I had a terrible feeling and ran to find her. When I got there it was too late. I found her, but she was dead."  
  
Erin's eyes widened but she continued to listen intently. Legolas seemed to be having difficulty telling this story.  
  
"When I held her something strange happened. Her scar disappeared. It was as though it was carried off into the wind. I do not know why I did not die. I should have, right then, of a broken heart."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Erin still could not bring herself to move. She had shuddered when she heard the name. She shuddered, again, now. Ladhwen. A scar. A small, oval shaped scar with a dot in the middle. She looked down at her leg. Before, her own scar had looked like a closed eye, but now it was open. It was a small, oval shaped scar with a dot in the middle. When Ladhwen had died her scar was carried off into the wind.  
  
Erin shuddered again, her heart pounding in her ears. Her whole body was wracked with pain, it felt as though she had a thousand wounds all over her body and they were being torn open. Another heartbeat seemed to join her own. She could hear it, in the back of her mind.  
  
Everything seemed to make sense as she felt another presence enter her. The memories, the familiarity. Ladhwen. Erin. Ladhwen. Erin. Her mind felt as though it was ripping open, memories pouring into it. She screamed out in pain as the memories forced themselves into her head, then a voice entered it, the same voice that she had felt before. This time, it spoke. Her mouth moved as the voice spoke through her.  
  
"Hello, Erin, remember me?"  
  
The entire fellowship was watching now. Esgalan arose from the bushes, just now catching up to the fellowship. They were momentarily distracted by his arrival. "Esgalan? Where did you come from?" Legolas cried, all of the confusion and loss too much to bear.  
  
"It is a long story, but we have no time for that now." Esgalan turned to Erin, listening intently, but not daring to touch her.  
  
Erin replied to the voice. "Who are you?" she asked it.  
  
Everyone watched Erin. Her eyes were wide, blank, as though she was able to see nothing, and she spoke to herself, but her voice changed when one of them spoke. Legolas took a step forward, reaching his hand out to Erin. Esgalan grabbed his shoulder to stop him.  
  
"Don't touch her," he whispered in a commanding voice. Legolas turned back, watching Erin closely.  
  
"I am the one from long ago. I am you, but different, and you are me, the same."  
  
Erin was confused. "What do you mean?"  
  
"You do not seem to realize who you are. Why do you think that this world, which is so different from the one you came from, seems so familiar. Why do you think that you remember things that you have never experienced. It is because you are me."  
  
Erin screamed in pain as another bout of pain grasped her. "Who are you. Tell me your name."  
  
Erin could feel the presence smiling through her. "My name is Ladhwen." Erin's eyes widened more, as did everyone's in the fellowship. "I told you, I am you, you are me."  
  
Erin was becoming frustrated. "What do you mean that I am you?!" she cried, desperation choking up her voice.  
  
"I have come to tell you something, then I will leave, forever."  
  
Legolas was about to break. He couldn't handle this. Why was Ladhwen talking to and through Erin? What did she mean that they were the same?  
  
"Listen, Erin. You are me. When I died, a part of me desperately needed to stay alive. There is something that I could never finish. Something that I HAVE to finish. My life was taken from me by a creature, a dark creature created from pure hate. The creature has no form, it lurks in the shadows and appears to be a shadow itself. I was attacked and had no chance of fighting back. Using what little strength I had, I used my knowledge from a life I had hoped to leave behind, and I screamed. When I screamed it hurt the creature. Now I must tell you that it is hunting you. Or, rather, forever hunting me. You are me, reborn."  
  
Things seemed to fall into place to Erin. She remembered when the creature had attacked, what had happened when she screamed.  
  
"Its scream, it injures you."  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "SHIT!" she screamed as she realized that the creature was now a mere two feet behind them, almost able to reach out and grab her or Esgalan.  
  
She kicked Aegnor in the sides, and once again he picked up the pace. She looked in front of them. Legolas, Glofindel, and Avarion were about thirty feet in front of them. Slowly, Aegnor seemed to pull farther away from the creature, until they were about eight feet in front of it. The creature let out that horrible screech that she had heard earlier. She clapped her hands over her ears, squeezing her eyes shut in pain. Esgalan did the same.  
  
Although she did not have the hearing of an Elf, she still had very sensitive hearing, especially to something as high pitched as this. Because of an ear infection she had as a child her hearing had been altered. She was able to hear more than other people, but loud, high pitched noised would make her ears bleed. There was a possibility she could go deaf.  
  
Tears involuntarily started to slide down her cheeks as her ears began to bleed. She could feel the creature smiling as it realized what it was doing to her. The noise got louder and higher. She pressed her hands more tightly to her ears, trying to block out the noise as best as she could. It was not working. The noise couldn't do more damage if she hadn't had her hands there at all.  
  
Esgalan looked down at her, realizing that this was hurting her more than him.  
  
He squeezed Aegnor's sides, trying to let him know that his master was being injured. Aegnor seemed to be in a lot of pain as well, but none of them were suffering like Erin was. Making a decision, Esgalan took his hands off of his own ears and placed them over Erin's. He screamed from the pain in his ears, but kept his hands over hers. He felt her body go limp as she passed out.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Because its scream is the last thing I heard it will always hurt you more than anyone else. But, since I used my scream before I died, you can hurt it as well. I am afraid that it was also because of that scream that you were unable to speak until you returned to this place. Your voice stays here, since I used the last of it here. If you were to return to where you came from, then you would be mute once again. "  
  
Erin felt tears pouring out of her eyes. This whole thing was too much. "Why.........why is it hunting me still?" she asked.  
  
"It is hunting you because you are the reborn form of me. It was created only to destroy me. It will never die unless it is killed. It was created that way so that I could never escape it. Death was inevitable for me, but you can survive. That is why I speak now. I wish to save you, or me, as it would be. I HAVE to save you, so that you can save others. I know who created it, but I dare not speak her name now. She is dead, but the creature remains."  
  
Erin felt the presence fading. "Where are you going?" she asked.  
  
"My energy wears thin, I will not be able to stay much longer. After I disappear, I will never return. I will give you a gift, before I go. I will give you unnatural long life for a human. My life was taken from me long before it was meant to be over, so I give you as much of the life I had remaining as I can. It will lengthen your life by two hundred years. But I warn you now you must NOT be killed. If you are killed all hope is lost. I make one request of you with the last of my energy."  
  
"What is it?" Erin asked, a little worried about what she would have to do.  
  
"Please, I beg you, allow me to have my body back for only a moment. I wish to say goodbye, since I was never able to before."  
  
Erin gave her consent silently, allowing Ladhwen to do so. The fellowship watched, amazed as Erin seemed to transform into a beautiful you Elf maiden. Her body didn't change, there was just a sense of someone else, Erin's body seemed to be a shadow of this new one.  
  
Legolas froze when he saw Ladhwen. She walked towards him, stopping just in front of him. "Legolas," she said softly. "I am so sorry for all that I have put you through. I love you, I always did. I am sorry for my last words to you. I wish that I could have seen you one last time before I died, but now I can say goodbye now." Ladhwen leaned forward and kissed Legolas softly, pouring all of her love into that kiss. Legolas felt tears rising up in his eyes.  
  
Ladhwen pulled back, her body seeming to fade. "Legolas, love Erin with all your heart. Do not be afraid. She is me, and I, her. I will not leave you again. She loves you. Do not be afraid."  
  
Ladhwen faded, leaving only Erin standing there before Legolas, not sure what to do. She suddenly felt so small and insignificant before Legolas. He had loved Ladhwen so much. She was nothing. Erin gasped as she felt something entering her body. It felt as though she had suddenly stopped aging. Ladhwen had given her extra life.  
  
Erin let the tears pour down her cheeks, collapsing to the grass on her knees. She was utterly nothing to the love they had shared. Legolas was staring off ahead, seemingly into nothing. He was in shock, Erin knew it. She wondered if he would ever be able to look at her again. She was the reincarnation of his old love. She felt so useless. Perhaps she should just run now, run into the woods and never come back.  
  
She was foolish to have followed them in the first place. She remembered the long knife she had on her. Should she end it now. Legolas would never be able to look her in the eye again, she could never return home, not only did she not know how, but she would lose her voice. She had nothing left for her. She felt so utterly lost. Sorrow consumed every corner of her mind.  
  
She contemplated taking out the knife and ending it all, but she would not be able to bring herself to do it. Ladhwen had told her not to die, that she needed to help others. Some of the sorrow left Erin as she became more confused. Who did she have to help? And if she did have to help, how would she know what to do?  
  
Her consciousness seemed to be fading from her. She was going to pass out, she knew it. She decided not to fight it and welcomed the emotionless darkness, collapsing to the ground.  
Erin awoke slowly. She was laying in a bed, her head throbbing. What was going on. She rolled over and saw Esgalan sitting next to her bed. Esgalan? Why was he here? He smiled at her. In a flood, everything came back to her. She laid on her side and curled up, trying to force the tears back in her eyes. Esgalan stood and walked over to the bed, sitting next to her small form. He pulled her up and into his arms, rocking back and forth, cradling her gently.  
  
"Shhhh. It's alright Erin."  
  
"No it's not!" she cried out, her face pressed against his chest, soaking his shirt with her tears. "He will never be able to look at me again! He will never want to talk to me again!"  
  
Esgalan rubbed her back. "That is not true, you know that. Deep down, you know that."  
  
"Is that so? Then why are you here instead of him?"  
  
Esgalan smiled down at her. "Because it is my turn right now. He has been at your side constantly since we arrived. He carried you here and has watched you. He has barely eaten since you collapsed. I am only here because I forced him to take a break!" Esgalan cried cheerfully.  
  
Erin looked up at him, shock apparent on her face. "Really?"  
  
Esgalan stood and walked towards the door. "I will go and get him."  
  
Erin waited as Esgalan walked out the door, quietly shutting it behind him. Legolas didn't think that it was her fault? She remembered the pain on his face when Ladhwen spoke. It seemed that his heart was ripping in two. She would never forget that look, after all SHE was the one responsible for it, whether directly or indirectly. It was her other form that did it.  
  
She looked up as someone entered the room quickly, slamming the door behind them and rushing over to her in a blur. The next thing that she knew she was being held tightly in legolas's arms. He crushed her to him, stroking the back of Erin's head. Erin choked out one sob before pressing her face to his chest tightly, not caring about anything else.  
  
Legolas pulled her up so that his cheek was pressed against her own. He continued to press her to him, wanting to be as close as he possibly could to her. Erin's eyes widened when she felt a wetness on her cheek. She looked up. Legolas was crying. Erin raised her hand up and wiped the tears away from his face.  
  
"What's wrong?" she asked him.  
  
"I'm so happy to have you. Please, don't ever leave me. Promise me that you'll never leave me again."  
  
Erin smiled. "I can't promise that. I don't know what could happen to me tomorrow or the day after that." Legolas crushed her to him again.  
  
"I will never let anything happen to you again. I will always be at your side. I refuse to lose you again."  
  
Erin reached her hand up to Legolas's soft hair and stroked it tenderly. "Legolas?"  
  
He pulled away from her and looked into her eyes. Erin found herself searching for the words that she wanted to say. She couldn't seem to find them. At last the came from her mouth. "I love you."  
  
He looked at her, smiling. "I have always loved you, and I always will," he said. He leaned forward and kissed her. Erin felt a certain kind of desperation in the kiss. When they parted she looked at him.  
  
"Would you like to walk somewhere?" she asked him.  
  
"We can do whatever you want," he said, still smiling at her. Erin stood and climbed out of the bed, placing her tender feet on the floor. She gave Legolas a confused look when he stared at her, his eyes moving up and down her body. She looked down at herself, a blush rising to her cheeks and spreading to the rest of her face. She was naked. Erin reached down, ready to pull a sheet of the bed to cover herself until she could get dressed.  
  
She was shocked when Legolas's hand stopped her. She looked up at him, question in her eyes. He watched her face carefully, searching for any fear. There was none. "Wait," he said quietly.  
  
Erin didn't move to cover herself, but felt nervous under his gaze. She was startled when he spoke. "Do you mind if I choose what you wear?" he asked. Erin shook her head, not making a sound.  
  
Legolas walked over to something that looked like a closet and searched through it, finally pulling out a dress. He held it up to her, asking if it was alright with his eyes. She nodded. He walked over to her and began to dress her carefully. Every so often his fingers would brush against her warm skin, sending tingles through both of them. He finished dressing her quickly, satisfied with his work.  
  
Erin let out a shuddering breath, her face completely red. Legolas looked at her and smiled, kissing her lightly. "Shall we go on that walk now?" he asked.  
  
"Uh.........yeah, let's........uh go on that walk.........." Erin was finding it hard to speak. They stepped out of her bedroom door, closing in behind them. When Erin turned around she was rendered speechless. It was beautiful.  
  
"What IS this place?" Erin asked in awe.  
  
"This is the Elven city of Lothlorien."  
  
Erin stared at the scenery, unable to bring herself to speak, feeling as though it would crumble if she did so. An odd thought struck her. Where had Esgalan gone? How had he even gotten out of Moria? She turned to Legolas.  
  
"How did Esgalan get out of Moria, do you know?"  
  
He smiled as though he had just heard some funny joke. "It seems that he had to follow Gollum out, again. I was told of how you followed him in. Apparently Esgalan had quite a rough time of getting out, he is still sensitive on the subject."  
  
Erin laughed, wondering what the poor Elf had to go through. They began to walk down some steps until they reached the forest floor. They walked in silence for a long while until Erin built up the courage to ask Legolas about something.  
  
"Hey, Legolas?"  
  
"Hmm?" he responded, not even looking at her.  
  
"Are you angry at me? Even a little?"  
  
He stopped in his tracks, looking at her seriously. "Why would I be angry at you?"  
  
"Well, you see, this whole thing is really MY fault. All your pain has, really, been caused by me in one way or another. If I really AM Ladhwen, then I was the cause of your suffering years ago. I am also the cause of it now. It's just that I can't get it out of my head, the look on your face when she spoke. You looked so, crushed, completely helpless. I just-"  
  
"Shh. Do not worry about it so much. I am fine now aren't I?" he asked, holding his arms up as though to prove that he had no wounds. Erin smiled at him.  
  
"So you're not angry at me then?"  
  
"Of course not."  
  
He walked towards her. Erin shivered. "Are you cold?" he asked.  
  
"I'm a bit chilled, but I'm fine."  
  
"Let's go back to your room then."  
  
Erin nodded and turned around, heading back to the tree which held her room.  
  
When they entered her room Erin sighed and plopped down onto her bed, watching as Legolas came and laid down beside her, folding his arms under his head. Erin studied his face. She realized that she never wanted to be away from him again. Slowly, she rolled over and kissed him. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her on top of him.  
  
She was stretched out across him, feeling his entire body along hers. Erin felt the rise and fall of his chest. She reached her arms around his waist and to the bottom of his shirt. Slowly, so that he could object if he wished to do so, she lifted up on the hem, pulling the shirt up and over his head.  
  
She gawked at his chest, it was perfect. She rubbed her hands along his stomach, feeling the muscles that lay under his soft skin. Erin felt him shudder under her though. This was it. She knew that she wanted to do this. Erin caught Legolas's eyes, noticing the realization in them as the knew what she wanted.  
  
He smiled at her. Erin reached her hands down to his breeches, untying them and slowly inching them down. Legolas moved so that it would be easier for her to do so. Now it was Erin's turn to look at every inch of his body. She stared at his utter magnificence. Legolas reached up, beginning to undo her dress. Erin let him pull the cloth from her completely, blushing once again as he stared at her. Erin leaned down and kissed him, knowing that this was right.  
  
That night Erin and Legolas showed their love for each other, pouring every emotion into each other. They knew that after this there was no going back, they would be together forever. Erin knew that she would come with him on his journey, and that he would always protect her.  
  
Esgalan smiled at Erin's door. 'Well,' he thought. 'Erin's going to be happy in the morning!'  
  
He walked off with a wicked smile on his face, anticipating all the teasing that he was going to give her and the blush that she would undoubtedly carry all day. 


	22. VERY IMPORTANT!

A/N: THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!!! I may not be able to update for awhile (sighs). I'm grounded unfortunately, bad grades and all..If I do update it will probably be because I snuck it somehow...or I might have to just con time and put up really short updates, unless I start writing them on paper instead of directly in the computer. Then I might have time to type them up, but anyway. I'm afraid that I've snuck on to do this, so I must go before I'm caught. I just thought that I'd warn you so you wouldn't think that I abandoned the story. Don't worry, I won't do that. I already have all of the rest of the story planned out, for the most part. So, until I update, bye. 


	23. Ladhwen

A/N: And now........the long awaited.......chapter 23!!!!....................was it long awaited?................I don't know......Have any of you ever listened to either German or Japanese rap?.........................It's funny.........  
  
Erin scowled at Esgalan. He sat there laughing. He stopped, resuming the position he held earlier. "Oh yes, Legolas, yes, YES!!!!"  
  
Erin smacked him in the back of his head, causing his face to fly forward into his breakfast. He lifted his head back up slowly. It was completely covered in various foods. He wiped the mushy stuff from his eyes and opened them, only to see Erin fall off her chair laughing. He watched as she clutched the table desperately trying not to fall all the way to the ground.  
  
Esgalan began to chuckle himself, unable to remain serious in a situation like this. Erin laughed harder when a piece of food peeled off of his face and landed on his pants. Erin fell all the way to the floor, laughing. She beat the ground with her hand as she rolled around, tears coming to her eyes from laughing so hard. As she rolled over she caught Esgalan's feet, causing him to fall on the ground beside her.  
  
Erin looked up at him, a puzzled expression on her face, as though she didn't understand how he had suddenly gotten on the ground. Esgalan burst out into laughter at her expression. It was this scene that met Legolas as he walked into the room.  
  
"Um......what are you two doing?" he asked.  
  
They were both on their feet in the blink of an eye.  
  
"Oh, nothing," they said simultaneously, trying to look nonchalant while dusting themselves off from their little field trip to the floor.  
  
"Esgalan, what is all over your face?" Legolas asked, an amused look on his face. Esgalan reached up and touched his face, pulling some of the food off.  
  
"It is food." He stated innocently.  
  
"I know that, but what is it doing there?"  
  
"I just......had a bit of an accident, I suppose I should go clean myself off." Esgalan turned and walked out the door, pausing in the doorway and turning back to them. He looked at Erin, opened his mouth, and began to speak in a high pitched girly tone.  
  
"Oh Legolas, yes YES!!!" he called, clasping his hands together in front of him while rolling his eyes up towards the ceiling.  
  
Erin's face turned a deep crimson. She reached out, grabbed the nearest object, which happened to be a metal cup, and hurled it at the Elf. It collided with his face before he could dodge it, hitting him with a loud smack, then slowly slid down his face until it fell to the ground with a clatter. He shuffled out of the room, the smile now gone from his red face.  
  
Erin smiled at her small triumph. She glanced up as Legolas walked towards her, pulling her into his arms. He rested his head against her shoulder, kissing her lightly where her neck and shoulder met. He began to nibble lightly, allowing his teeth to graze her skin.  
  
Her face reddened, but she made no move to stop him. Legolas stopped for a moment so that he could speak. "What was all that about?" he asked, his breath feeling hot on her neck. She shivered before answering.  
  
"You mean with Esgalan?" she asked breathlessly.  
  
"Mmm Hmm." He resumed his previous efforts.  
  
"Oh, he was......" she gasped as Legolas began to suck gently on her neck. She attempted to compose herself so that she would be able to speak again. "He was......teasing me....about....." she couldn't take it anymore and let a moan escape her lips. Erin could feel him smiling against her neck. He was doing this on purpose! Erin smiled, deciding that two could play this game.  
  
"He was teasing me about last night," she said smoothly, running her hand up the inside of his shirt. She ran her hands over his warm chest, slowly lowering them to his waist.  
  
"He was? How did he-" It was Legolas's turn to take in a sharp breath as Erin let her hands slide down the front of his trousers. She smiled wickedly at the shocked, yet pleased look on his face. She let her hands explore a bit, never taking her eyes off his face. She tried not to laugh as many expressions, some of which she couldn't name, crossed the Elf's face.  
  
Her face reddened as his hand slipped up inside of her own shirt and took on minds of their own.  
  
"Ahem," a voice called from the doorway. The couple jumped apart, each of them bright red, and looked at the source of the voice. There stood a beaming Esgalan, the food now gone from his face. He raised his hands up, resuming the high-pitched voice.  
  
"Oh, Legolas!" he shrieked loudly.  
  
Erinwas now beyond red. Her cheeks were throbbing with the blood that had risen to them.  
  
"Esgalaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!!!!!!" she yelled, running after his retreating form.  
  
Legolas chuckled at the scene they were making. Esgalan was going to get a beating now.  
  
Erin smiled as she ran after Esgalan. Oh her revenge would be sweet indeed.  
Legolas walked through the halls, trying to find Erin. He hoped that she hadn't killed Esgalan. He heard uncontrolled laughter in the distance. He walked faster, interested in what was going on. He turned the corner and saw Erin. Erin was on the floor. She was laughing so hard that she was sobbing.  
  
Legolas looked up at Esgalan, then nearly fell over with the shock. His hair was green. Green....  
  
He looked back at Erin who was gasping for breath, tears rolling down her face.  
  
"Are you alright?" Legolas asked, concern written on his face.  
Erin sat on the bed packing her things.  
  
"We're leaving tomorrow," Legolas said calmly.  
  
"Tomorrow? Jeez, we're leaving so soon.....So, you're not going to try to make me stay here?" she asked curiously.  
  
Legolas chuckled. "It seems that that is impossible. You would follow us anyway, would you not?"  
  
Erin blushed as Legolas continued. "So we were left with two choices: we could tie you to the bed, and I assured them that you would only chew through whatever rope we used, or, since you were going to follow us anyway, it was decided that you could come along with us. At the very least, if you are with us, you have more protection than if you were following behind us alone.  
  
"I wouldn't be alone, I would have dragged Esgalan with me..... Yes! I get to be a member of the fellowship!"  
  
Legolas tapped her on the forehead with his pointer finger. He pulled his hand away and did the 'no no' finger. Erin gave him a quizzical look.  
  
"There was one condition under which you could come with us. It was that you are not 'technically' a member of the fellowship, you are a helper. And you should say your goodbyes to Esgalan, since he will not be joining us."  
  
Erin pouted. "Fine, but I am not going to be your guys' bitch! Hmph! A helper...."  
  
Legolas looked confused. "Bitch?"  
  
Erin's eyes widened. 'Woops.'  
  
She didn't want to teach Legolas the word 'bitch.' She smiled at how confused he had looked, and the way he had said the word. Somehow even THAT word had sounded beautiful when an ELF said it. It simply wasn't fair.  
  
Erin continued packing her things, allowing her mind to wander. There was something that had been troubling her. It was about Ladhwen. Could she really be the reincarnation of an Elf? She certainly didn't act like one.....  
  
She almost wished that she wasn't. But if she hadn't been the reincarnation of Ladhwen then would she still have met Legolas? 'My life is so weird,' she thought. 'Is this all worth it?' Part of her said yes, but the other part reminded her that she would have been safer at home.  
  
But where was home, and was it really fun being safe? She got a voice because she came here. Was it because she came here? She had far too many questions.  
  
Erin remembered the look on Legolas's face when he saw Ladhwen. It was heart breaking. That brought her to another thought. Was it really HER that Legolas loved, or the memory of Ladhwen? He had liked her before... but maybe he was only with her now because she was sort of Ladhwen.  
  
It was no contest between the two, if Ladhwen came back somehow then he would be sure to pick her over Erin. This thought saddened her. She couldn't compete with Ladhwen, not even the memory of her.  
  
An idiotic thought struck her. She was jealous of herself! This whole situation was beyond her comprehension. She let out a sigh and threw herself back on the bed. It was best to sleep on it. That would help her think at least....  
  
A drum. She could hear a drum. It was a deep, steady thumping. Erin's eyes snapped open. It was dark all around her. Just like before. The thumping was echoing around her. Then it stopped. This was just like the dream she had before she got her voice back. What was this? Then she heard a voice.  
  
"Hello." It seemed to echo and swell around her.  
  
"Who are you?" she asked, trying not to let the fear show in her voice.  
  
"I am you."  
  
"Ladhwen?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"What... What do you want?"  
  
"I need to talk to you, but I can only do it through your dreams."  
  
"Before you tell me whatever it is that you want to tell me, I have some things to ask you." Erin waited for a reply, but ther came none, so she took that as a signal to ask.  
  
"Why and how did I get my voice back?"  
  
"I gave it to you because you would need it for this task."  
  
"Then why did I lose it when I was fighting those orcs? When I needed it the most."  
  
"Because of the circumstances under which we died,"  
  
Erin involuntarily shuddered when Ladhwen said 'we died.'  
  
"When you are put under a great deal of stress, it will not work. There is nothing I can do to stop that. It will happen every time."  
  
"And what is this task that you keep talking about?" Erin asked.  
  
"I cannot tell you now, but I cannot stress the importance of you not dying."  
  
Erin sighed but asked no more.  
  
"Is that all?" Ladhwen asked.  
  
"...yes...."  
  
"I must tell you that you must take care of Legolas, please, he needs you. If you were to die so would he. You must also calm your fears, for his sake and yours. He loves you. He loved you before he knew that we were the same. Do not abandon his love. You love him and you will need each other yet. She will come for you."  
  
"Who will?"  
  
"Because you and I are the same, we have the same soul."  
  
"Who will?!"  
  
Erin felt a wind flowing towards her. The blackness began to swirl away like a thick smoke caught in a wind. Slowly, a path began to clear. Erin watched as a figure began to emerge from it. It was what Erin could only guess was Ladhwen. She was beautiful. Her arms hung next to her sides, pals facing outwards towards Erin. Ladhwen's hair swirled about her in the wind.  
  
It was then that Erin noticed that Ladhwen's eyes were closed. No sooner had she thought it when they snapped open. Erin's hair came unbound and began to swirl as well, never coming before her eyes, only swirling behind her head. The wind began to blow fiercely. Her eyes were a solid white. Erin watched in awe.  
  
"She will come. The one that hates us so much. She will try to kill us again. She loathes us."  
  
Erin, who still sat on the black ground watched as Ladhwen floated towards her. She bent down so that her face was mere inches away from Erin's. Ladhwen seemed to float in this black abyss as her hollow, white eyes bore into Erin, looking into her very soul.  
  
Erin remained frozen, her eyes wide. She heard whispers all around her, fading in and out of the blackness. It was Ladhwen, she was doing it although her mouth was not moving. Her hair swirled around her as though they were underwater, slowly, like they were caught by waves.  
  
The whispers got louder.  
  
"Don't scream........ don't scream......... don't scream......... don't scream......... don't scream......... don't scream........." they whispered over and over again. One speaking from her right then fading, then one from her left, then behind her, each voice fading into the darkness. Erin felt a scream building up in her throat.  
  
"Don't scream........ don't scream......... don't scream........." the child-like voices whispered. Erin felt that she couldn't hold back a scream any longer. She looked into Ladhwen's eyes. Then Ladhwen's mouth moved.  
  
"Don't scream," she said smoothly.  
  
Erin shot up in bed, shaking. What the HELL was that? Don't scream? She thought she could still hear the faintest of whispers around her. "Don't scream.... don't scream.... don't scream...."  
  
Erin shivered. Had Ladhwen always been that creepy? She collapsed back onto the bed and allowed herself to cry. She didn't know what to do. So much was happening. This was really too much......  
  
When Legolas walked into Erin's room in the morning he found her curled up into a fetal position on the bed. He smiled at the scene and sat next to her on the bed. He brushed the hair out of her face, frowning when something caught his eye.  
  
There were tear streaks on her face. They had dried sometime ago, but still, she had been crying. He looked at her face, noticing for the first time that her eyebrows were knit tightly together in a look of deep concern. Legolas decided that he would leave her to sleep since they didn't have to leave for a while anyway.  
  
Erin awoke abruptly and looked out the window, it was morning. She jumped out of bed and threw on some breeches and a tunic. Because they were leaving today, dresses would no longer be suitable. She grabbed her pack and rushed out of the room, searching for any member of the fellowship.  
  
'They had better not have left without me!' she thought. As she rounded a corner she was halted by a firm body. She let out an 'oof' as she fell back onto her butt. Slowly, she looked up.  
  
"Hello, Erin," the man, or, Elf said.  
  
"Oh, hey Haldir! Did everybody leave already?" she asked, concern in her eyes. Haldir reached a hand out to help her up. She took it and hopped up to her feet.  
  
"No, they just sent me to fetch you, they are saying their goodbyes."  
  
Erin hadn't really told anyone, but since she had been in Lothlorien she had become good friends with Haldir. Everyone else was always so busy doing other things. One day she had literally run into him and after that they had talked often. He asked her of her 'world' and she told him about many of the differences between this one and that one. He had seemed very fascinated by the whole idea.  
  
She followed as he led her to where everyone was assembled. They were all standing in a line, shoulder to shoulder. There was an Elf standing in front of each of them. Erin took her place at the end of the line, watching as Haldir turned and stood in front of her.  
  
"Never before have we clad strangers in the garb of our own people," a handsome, important looking Elf said. Erin continued to watch as Haldir placed a cloak, that he seemed to get out the middle of nowhere, around her shoulders and fastened it with a beautiful green brooch in the shape of a leaf.  
  
"May these cloaks help shield you from unfriendly eyes." The Elves then walked away and the company was left to pack their things into the boat that had been given to them. Erin watched as Legolas packed things into the boat.  
  
She had tried to help before, but she'd had no idea how to pack a boat, so she had been with merry and Pippin since they started. Legolas stopped and pulled out a piece of what looked like bread. He smiled.  
  
"Lembas. Elvish waybread." He took a small bite. "One small bite is enough to fill the stomach of a grown man." He continued to smile as he put the bread away, then turned and walked away to attend to something else.  
  
Merry turned to Pippin.  
  
"How many did you eat?" Merry asked.  
  
"...... Four," Pippin said. They both turned to Erin. There was a long pause.  
  
"Um...... six......" Both Erin and Merry turned to Pippin as he let out a belch.  
  
Erin turned to look as Galadriel approached them. She stopped and turned to Erin, piercing her with her eyes. 'Come with me.' Erin heard a whisper in her head.  
  
She stood and followed the Elf, feeling that this was not a person to disobey. After all, she'd had an experience once with a person who had telekinesis, she'd made the mistaking of poking fun at them. That had been interesting......  
  
She was led into the woods, out of the hearing distance of even the Elves. The Elf turned and faced her. There was a moment of silence before she spoke.  
  
"Hello again, Ladhwen." 


	24. Morn Lach

"Hello again, Ladhwen."  
  
Erin froze, her eyed wide. "W-What?"  
  
"Yes, I know you. I met you many years ago."  
  
"I am not Ladhwen."  
  
"Oh but you are. I a sense you are. I knew since I first saw you that you were her."  
  
Erin wasn't sure quite what she should say. "My name is Erin, not Ladhwen."  
  
"Erin? But Is that your true name?"  
  
"What is that supposed to m-!"  
  
"Ladhwen also used to be called by a different name you know. One that even I do not knot."  
  
Erin was now beyond confused. Just what was this Elf woman trying to prove anyway? So she knew that Erin was the reincarnation of Ladhwen, so what! That didn't meant that they were the same person! Erin almost fell over when she thought that. They weren't the same person, yeah..... they were... sort of.  
  
Erin stared at the Elf. "So, Erin, what will you do?"  
  
"What do you mean what will I do?"  
  
"You have a great task set before you. It will be difficult. Although I think that Ladhwen will continue to help you, I wonder," The Elf narrowed her eyes. "Will that really be enough." There was a pause before she continued. "Did you know that an Elf can die of a broken heart?"  
  
Erin was shocked. "What? How?"  
  
"If their loved one dies, first they grieve, but if they truly loved that person then they begin to die. We call this process Morn Methed, the black end. First, they lose their mind. They cannot even realize what is going on around them. They recognize not even the faces of their friends or kin. They are kept in a room where they cannot get free, because they would kill any who got in their way. Once they get past a certain point they can never be brought back. Did you know that?"  
  
Erin could barely speak. "No.... I didn't."  
  
"So, you see, if you die, this will happen to Legolas."  
  
"Why didn't he die when Ladhwen died?"  
  
"No one can say. That has been a mystery among many of us, until now."  
  
"Until now?"  
  
"Yes, YOU kept him alive, or rather, Ladhwen. Somehow she knew that she would be reincarnated, so somehow, even after death, she was able to keep him alive. I fear what will become of Legolas when you diminish. But that will not be for several hundred years, will it not?" Galadriel asked, a knowing twinkle that bordered on a smile in her eyes.  
  
"How did y-"  
  
"Ladhwen gave you a gift, she gave you an immense gift. I suggest that you use it well. She cares for Legolas that much. She gave you much of her life force, so that you could be with him, so that you could take care of him."  
  
"Is that why she keeps telling me not to die?"  
  
"Perhaps, or perhaps she knows something that we do not. I can see much, but your future is something that cannot be told, for it has too many possibilities. If you die, I do not know what will happen. But I can say this, you will need strength. You will be put to a test like no other has yet faced in Middle Earth. Let us hope that you do not fail, for the sake of us all. But this was not what I called you over for. I wished to give you a gift. Each member of the company was given a gift, and even though you are not a member of the company, I will give you a gift."  
  
Erin saw two shining blades in front of her. They were beautiful, two long knives.  
  
"These were Ladhwen's. I believe that she would wish for you to have them. She was an expert in fighting techniques that none here recognized. They were beautiful, complicated, and effective. She was most graceful. I had always wondered about her. She had the grace and stealth of a warrior, and yet she claimed that she was no such thing. She hid something from all of us. Perhaps you may find out what this secret was, whether you want to or not."  
  
Erin wondered what was behind Ladhwen. She seemed to be a mystery to everyone, including Erin. How was she supposed to find out what Ladhwen was about anyway?!  
  
"Yes, she hid it well, not even I could find it in her mind. She was clever, that was certain, after I tried to enter her mind to find what the secret was behind her obvious training in killing, she was somehow able to shut me off. I remember that she looked at me, right in the eyes. And then she smiled. It was then that I knew that I would never be allowed to enter her mind. I do not know where she could have been taught such abilities. It is Elvish custom that women are not taught the art of battle. I have yet to see one taught how to block such a power as mine. Yes, I remember her smile."  
  
Galadriel's eyes narrowed, as though she was picturing it in her mind. Suddenly the image popped into Erin's head as well, and she knew that Galadriel was sending it to her.  
  
"Her smile, it seemed to mock me."  
  
Then the picture disappeared. "I leave it to you, Erin, to find out what her secret was. I feel that it is a story that must be told. The secret of Ladhwen must be told." And with that Galadriel turned and walked away, disappearing into the woods.  
  
Erin stared, unmoving. So Ladhwen was ALWAYS creepy..... Erin almost chuckled out loud at that. Leave it to her... er.... Ladhwen.....  
  
She turned and walked back to the company, staring at the long knives. They were of a design that resembled that of the Elves', but somehow different, more beautiful if that were possible. She felt a cold chill from them. Many people had been killed using these, she could tell. She could almost hear their screams.  
  
A voice entered her mind, it was not Galadriel's. "You can tell that many were killed. Would you like to know my secret, Erin?"  
  
She got a chill, the voice was cold, and the way it said her name. Erin felt something ripping through her body. She fell to her knees in pain, clutching at her stomach. The scenery around her began to change. She was in the middle of a battle field. There were dead bodies everywhere. Erin was standing now, in the middle of a battle field. The long knives were no longer in her hands. She looked around at all the different people fighting.  
  
There were men and Elves fighting other men and Elves. What was going on? She had never heard about Elves fighting each other. Erin turned as something caught her eye. It was Ladhwen, that she knew right away. Ladhwen was holding the knives that Erin had been holding moments earlier. They were dripping with blood. Ladhwen turned and slashed, stabbed another, completely decapitated another, slashed, slashed, slashed, slashed.  
  
Erin watched in horror as the woman killed without remorse. She was graceful and beautiful while doing so, her hair pulled back away from her face. Erin looked up at the sky, grey and covered with clouds. The very sky seemed to mourn as it rained. There were screams all around her, the screams of people being slaughtered.  
  
Erin looked around, all of those fighting were men except for Ladhwen. Erin turned and continued looking. Then she saw another Elf woman. She had a beautiful, long sword. Her sword and Ladhwen's long knives seemed as though they were made by the same person. As Erin looked across the battle field light seemed to illuminate eleven people. They were all women. They were the only women fighting in this entire battle.  
  
Erin turned back to Ladhwen as she continued to kill. She felt pulling sensation towards one of the women. She looked at the one she felt it from. As she looked upon the beautiful woman, everything seemed to slow down. Erin saw a knife go into the woman's stomach. She turned as someone stood next to her. It was Ladhwen.  
  
Ladhwen did not even look at her, and it was then that Erin realized that no one could see her. She stared at the expression on Ladhwen's face as she saw the woman get stabbed. Her face twisted into a look of hate, but no tears came to her eyes. Ladhwen ran to the woman. Erin felt herself float towards her as well, able to see all that went on.  
  
The woman who was stabbed fell to her knees, clutching at her injured stomach. Erin saw Ladhwen slash down the enemies more fiercely that before. Tears were now streaming down her face as she cut them all down. She let a single sob and she slashed. She was killing so many people, more than Erin could count. Erin felt another pulling.  
  
She looked towards another woman. The woman was stabbed in the leg, then in the throat. She fell to the ground immediately. Erin looked back at Ladhwen as she screamed. It was an enraged, yet grief filled scream. Erin was shaken by all of this. So many emotion were contained in that scream that she could feel it rip through her body.  
  
The wind began to blow. Erin watched as Ladhwen began to raise up off of the ground, her eyes becoming a solid black. A light seemed to come from her. No, not a light, a lack of. It seemed to suck the light away from everything. Erin was taken away from the scene, she was far away, watching it from a distance. There was a loud explosion as fire leapt across the ground in straight lines, looking like giant claw marks.  
  
Erin heard the screams of many men as they were caught in the fire. All of the fire's went out in a straight line away from Ladhwen. Erin knew that Ladhwen had done them. She could see her floating. She was descending to the ground slowly now. As her feet touch her hair fell down to her back wind stopped. She looked around at the battle, as though she were seeing it for the first time. Ladhwen began to fight again, not caring about anything anymore.  
  
Erin opened her eyes. She was laying on the ground. No, she wasn't laying on the ground completely. Her upper torso was being cradled by someone. Erin looked up at Legolas, who looked like he was about to cry. Erin looked up at him and smiled, trying to keep everyone from worrying.  
  
"What is it?" she asked him, her voice carrying a nervous tone.  
  
Legolas crushed her to him. "What happened?" he asked. Erin could hear tears in his voice even though there were none in his eyes.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"You collapsed, but your eyes were still open. And I could see the expressions on your face. It was as though you saw something."  
  
Erin looked up at the rest of the company, which was standing around her. She smiled at them. "Oh it was nothing, don't worry about me." She stood up and brushed herself off, trying to act normal. She saw the suspicious looks that everyone gave her. She smiled nervously putting her palms up in front of her.  
  
"Really! Everybody it was nothing, I'm fine. We should probably be going ne?"  
  
Aragorn was the first to let it go. "Yes, we should be leaving now while the day is still young."  
  
Erin felt an enormous amount of gratitude go out to Aragorn. She got chills as she felt someone watching her. She turned and saw Galadriel, her eyes narrowed at Erin. She heard Galadriel's voice in her head. 'I saw what you saw.'  
  
That was all she said before she turned and walked away. Erin turned and walked to the shore. She stopped in front of Legolas's boat frowning when she saw Gimli in the only available spot. Gimli looked up at her.  
  
"I'm not moving," he stated forcefully. Erin narrowed her eyes.  
  
"And why not?"  
  
"Because I like this spot, so I'm not moving." Erin frowned at him some more.  
  
"I'll fight you for it."  
  
"Fight me? Do you really think that you could beat ME?" he asked her.  
  
Erin tapped her foot in a very irritated way. This dwarf was beginning to piss her off. "I will fight you to the death!"  
  
Five minutes later.  
  
"Ready?" Erin asked him, a very deadly expression on her face.  
  
"Ready," he said, an equally serious look on his face.  
  
"Ok then, Rock,"  
  
"Paper,"  
  
"Scissors!"  
  
Erin looked down at her rock, then down at Gimli's paper.  
  
"Damnit! Best two out of three!"  
  
"Fine, but I will still beat you!"  
  
"Ready?"  
  
"Ready."  
  
"Go!"  
  
Gimli felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He looked up slowly. Erin was scowling at him. Aragorn shook his head, wondering about this girl. She sat with her arms crossed in front of her chest, her legs crossed one over the other, leaning out to the side to looked past him at the boats behind him.  
  
Gimli watched as Erin mouthed the word 'revenge.' An image popped into his head. It was of Erin's friend. The one who had green hair. He turned back to Erin, his eyes wide.  
  
She now held a bottle in her hands that she stroked with love, never taking her eyes off of him. He looked at the bottle, it was full of a green liquid. He could feel the sweat accumulating on his forehead. He turned to Legolas, who was in the same boat as him.  
  
"Would she really?"  
  
Legolas looked at the expression on Erin's face, making a decision immediately by her expression. He turned back to Gimli.  
  
"I believe that she would."  
  
Gimli sat in the boat, his eyes wide with fear.  
  
Erin poked the sand with a stick. They had stopped on the banks of...... A place that she couldn't remember to do...... something else that she couldn't remember.  
  
She sat there, bored out of her mind. What was it that they were doing anyway? Resting? She looked up as she saw somebody shuffle beside her. It was Frodo. He stood up and walked into the woods. She turned back to the sand, resuming her 'let's poke the sand with a stick' game, never thinking twice about the Hobbit's departure.  
  
Erin looked up at Legolas who was talking with Aragorn. They seemed to be talking about something serious. She turned to Gimli who had decided to sleep. Deciding that that would be a good idea, she let herself drift off into a light sleep.  
  
"Erin."  
  
Erin looked around. Great. She was in that weird black dream place again.  
  
"Ladhwen?"  
  
"You need to wake up. You must help them."  
  
"What? Help who?"  
  
"They are being attacked."  
  
"Who are?!"  
  
"Wake up! Help them now! They will die!"  
  
Erin sat up quickly, looking around. She was next to the river. She had been napping against a tree. Everyone was gone. She listened carefully and heard screaming in the distance. It seemed to be inhuman. She jumped to her feet, making sure that the long knives were attached firmly to her back. Running into the forest, she began to search for the source of the noise.  
  
She ran, not knowing what direction in which to go. It seemed that something was guiding her. She could only guess that it was Ladhwen. She followed the feeling guiding her. As she burst through a patch of bushes she saw hideous creatures. They looked like the ones that she had seen before. Except, they were different. The were taller, more man like. She jumped at the first one, pulling the long knife out in midair, and slashed at the muscle connecting its shoulder and neck.  
  
The creature turned around and looked at her, seemingly unfazed by her deep cut. It raised its sword up and slashed down at her. She dodged out of the way easily and stabbed it in the stomach. It still just looked at her, seeming to taunt her that she could not hurt it.  
  
'Fine!' she thought. 'This will hurt you!'  
  
She took the two long knives and put her arms straight out to her sides, then thrust the knives towards each other, effectively cutting the thing's head off with her attack from both sides of its neck. The creature's body dropped to the ground.  
  
Erin heard a snarl and turned around. There were about twenty more of the things. She opened her mouth to call for help, knowing that if they all attacked her at once she would be screwed. No sound came out.  
  
At that point she wanted to let forth a string of profanities strong enough to strip the paint off a battle ship fifty miles away, but she couldn't. Ladhwen was right. When she needed it most, her voice would fail her. She would have to fight them all, completely alone.  
  
A creature lunged at her, attempting to punch her in the chest. She raised her arms up into a cross in front of her, blocking the punch. As the creature pulled its arm back she used the position she was in to her advantage. She uncrossed her arms in front of her, slashing outwards as she did so. Two slashes appeared on its chest. Before it could react she switched the momentum so that the knives were heading in the opposite direction, now crossing towards each other, slashing it again.  
  
She reversed the momentum against and cross slashed outwards. Now there were three bloody X's across the thing's torso. Erin reached one knife up and stabbed it in the neck. Another creature came at her.  
  
She raised one knife up and slashed downwards, ripping a large gash in the thing's stomach. She used her free hand to slash from the bottom up. There were parallel lines of blood up its stomach. Erin nearly puked as its internal organs came out through the cuts. It fell to the ground.  
  
She turned quickly and cut one's head off as it tried to attack her from behind. She continued slashing, remembering Ladhwen's moves from the battle she had seen. She felt a twinge in her stomach, like something trying to get in.  
  
'Let me in' a voice said. It was Ladhwen's. 'No.' Erin thought, 'not now!'  
  
Erin continued to slash at the creatures, but most of them just weren't falling. She felt a sharp pain in her shoulder. One of them had gotten her. She was being overpowered quickly, and her muscles were tiring.  
  
One of them forced her to her knees. She was going to die. Erin's eyes widened at that thought. She couldn't die. She had been warned not to by both Galadriel and Ladhwen. She could NOT die! When she was feeling most desperate, like all hope was lost, she felt an energy within her. The eye scar on her leg began to glow black, sucking in the light. She remembered this from the battle.  
  
More light was sucked in. What was this? She remembered seeing movies where weapons would suck in energy and then they would go off once they got enough. She heard the voice again.  
  
'You can't control it, let me in!'  
  
Erin didn't know what to do. Was this a trick? Would her body be stolen? She couldn't figure out Ladhwen's motives. 'If you do not let me control it you will be destroy as well as everyone in middle earth!!' Ladhwen screamed. Erin's eyes widened. Was it really that powerful? She decided to let go. She felt Ladhwen entering her body. The wind began to blow.  
  
Erin could feel herself being lifted off the ground. Her eyes went solid black. The creatures watched closely, unsure of what to do. Was that fear behind their eyes? Erin's hair came unbound and flew up around her head, being blown almost straight up by the fierce wind. Her scar began to glow a brighter black as more light was sucked in. It continued to glow brighter until the black stopped. Her hands raised up to her chest, her arms crossed. Only her pointer and pinky fingers were extended, the rest were folded against her hand. She looked down at the creatures.  
  
Her hands flew out to her side, point and pinky finger still extended, then a bright light ripped across the ground in straight lines away from her in a circle. She was surrounded by a wall of fire as it swirled around her. She could hear the thing's screams as they were burned.  
  
She floated up out of the column of fire, looking down at them with solid black eyes. Her head snapped around as she heard a horn.  
  
'Ladhwen, they are defeated, now you can leave.' Erin said in her mind.  
  
'No, there is something else.' Erin felt the edges of fear in her mind. Would Ladhwen steal her body?  
  
'I will not steal your body! Do not be so foolish.'  
  
Erin felt herself floated through the trees until she reached a clearing. She felt the need to cry out when she saw what was there. Boromir sat on his knees, three arrows protruding from his stomach. Erin turned as Aragorn ran up. One of the creatures was about to kill Boromir. Aragorn stabbed it. Erin cried out in her mind.  
  
'Why do you do nothing to help him?!'  
  
'Because it was his kinsman who was slain! He must get revenge for himself!' Ladhwen said fiercely. Erin understood now. She watched as Aragorn cut the creatures head off then ran to Boromir. Her head turned as Legolas and Gimli ran up. They stared at her, floating above the ground, glowing black, her eyes a solid black. Her hair was being blow towards the sky by a wind that seemed to be contained within the black bubble that surrounded her.  
  
Erin noticed Boromir staring at her. Aragorn turned and looked at her as well.  
  
"It is you!" he cried. "Help him, please!"  
  
Ladhwen spoke, using Erin's voice. "There is nothing that I can do for him, I am sorry."  
  
"But you were one of the Eleven! There must be something that you can do!"  
  
"There is nothing."  
  
"The Eleven?" Boromir asked weakly. "You are one of the Eleven, Erin?"  
  
Ladhwen smiled. "I am not Erin."  
  
She felt Legolas's intense gaze fall upon her. She turned to look at him. He had a look of shock and confusion on his face. Slowly, she turned back to Aragorn.  
  
"You are not Erin?" he asked.  
  
"No. But Erin is me, and I am her."  
  
Boromir looked as confused as Aragorn. "I will let her go now."  
  
Ladhwen's mouth moved as Erin spoke. "Wait! Is there nothing we can do?"  
  
Ladhwen's eyes widened in shock. She was surprised that Erin was able to speak even though she had control of her body.  
  
"There is nothing I can do but make the pain go away."  
  
"Then do it."  
  
Ladhwen floated towards Boromir. She stretched her hand out towards his head. Everyone watched as a blue light erupted from her hand and surrounded Boromir. It entered him and then vanished. He seemed to relax.  
  
"Indeed, the pain is gone." He said. Ladhwen floated away from them, allowing them time to speak. She turned to Legolas and Gimli. "Where are Merry and Pippin?" Erin asked.  
  
Boromir spoke. "They were taken by those foul creatures." Ladhwen's head turned slowly in the direction that they had been taken, her eyes still solid black. "Are you able to save them?" he asked.  
  
"No. My time is spent. I can control this body no longer."  
  
The black light began to fade as she slowly floated to the ground. As her feet touched the ground seemed to ripple around her. It shifted the way water does when a rock is thrown into it. She stood, her eyes now normal. Erin felt Ladhwen's presence leave her.  
  
She fell to her hands and knees, breathing deeply. That, out of all of her experiences, had to have been the weirdest. Erin felt all eyes on her. She looked up at Boromir.  
  
"I am so sorry, Boromir, that I could not save you."  
  
Boromir smiled at her. "Do not fear, young maiden, for all is well. You have taken my pain away. You have also allowed me to see one of the legends. You are one of the Eleven. You have a gift, may you use it to help many."  
  
Erin let Aragorn and Boromir talk again. She felt Gimli and Legolas staring at her. She turned to look up at them, still on her hands and knees. She could not read their expressions for the life of her. Legolas didn't seem to know quite what to do, and Gimli just stared at her in awe.  
  
"Can you teach me how to do that?" he asked.  
  
Erin felt a small smile reach her lips. "I'm afraid that even I don't know how to do it." 


	25. Wargs

Erin nearly fell to the ground as they stopped to take a break. They had been running after Merry and Pippin all day. She was slowing them down and she knew it. She sat on the ground, panting. The guys were not nearly as tired as she was. She looked up at Legolas who looked as though he had just taken a nap. He was perfectly fine, not even breathing hard.  
  
Even Gimli was faring better than she was. "What is wrong, Erin," Aragorn asked.  
  
"I am not....... used to........ running....... This much.... in my....... world......." She said in between gasps.  
  
"Do you ride horses everywhere you go?" he asked.  
  
Erin had caught her breath by now and was able to compose herself. "No, we don't ride horses, we have cars."  
  
"Cars?"  
  
"Nevermind."  
  
There was silence while they rested. They hadn't had time to eat all day, and they didn't have time now either. They would be leaving in about one minute. Erin thought for a moment. What was that whole thing that she did back in the woods? How did she do that? If she could just float again, then she would be able to keep up with these guys easily. More than that, she would be able to go far ahead and get Merry and Pippin herself.  
  
She wished that she only knew how, but it only seemed to work when she was cornered, and Ladhwen said something about her not being able to control it. Would Ladhwen always have to save her? This sucked...... She was going to end up slowing these guys down so much that they would never catch up to the Hobbits. They were just being nice and not saying anything about it.  
  
She felt terrible for all of this. She wasn't even supposed to be with them in the first place. It had been her who had been stubborn and followed without permission, now it would be her fault if Merry and Pippin were killed.  
  
Her decision made, she turned to the guys. "Leave me," she said sternly. They all turned to look at her.  
  
"What?" Aragorn asked. Erin looked down at the ground, refusing to make eye contact. She placed her hands on her knees and squeezed them, trying to reassure herself.  
  
"I said leave me!" she half yelled, trying to be strong. Since she'd gotten to this place she'd become weaker. She had to stop relying on others so much. Everyone was looking at her in disbelief. "I am slowing you all down way too much. You have to go on without me."  
  
"But Erin we-"  
  
"Leave me!!! I will not allow Merry and Pippin to be hurt because I am out of shape. You all HAVE to go on without me and save them." She looked up at them and smiled. "Besides, I'll be fine."  
  
They stared at her, unsure of what to do. Legolas stepped towards her. She held her hand up, telling him to stop. He did. "I said I will be fine. I can take care of myself, I've been doing it for years."  
  
"Erin, things are worse now, there are Orcs and Uruk-Hai about," Aragorn said sternly. Erin smiled again, trying to reassure them as much as herself.  
  
"You know I can take care of them. I have long knives as weapons. And, if all else fails, maybe I'll go all apeshit and do that fire thing again." She laughed at herself. She knew that she probably couldn't take care of herself all that well, but she was sure as hell not going to let them know that.  
  
They needed to leave, their break had taken too long already. "GO!" she yelled. Legolas stepped forward and hugged her.  
  
"I am not going to leave you all alone."  
  
"Legolas, you have to. Think of Merry and Pippin. You must go after them."  
  
"I can carry you."  
  
"No you can't. You may be an Elf but even YOU couldn't keep that up forever." Erin gave Aragorn a stern look. He nodded once at her and started running off.  
  
"I'll find some nearby village or something. Go." Legolas began to walk away. He turned and looked at her, searching for some sign of fear or doubt. Erin just smiled. He turned and ran after Aragorn. Gimli was last to leave. As he began to jog off, Erin called after him. "I'm still going to get you back for that whole boat thing!"  
  
He turned his head and looked at her, smiling. "I am looking forward to it!" he called back. Erin remained sitting on the ground. Now what was she supposed to do? 'Hmm, I'll find a village. That's what I told them I'd do, so I'll do it." She began walking in an aimlessly. She was bound to run into somebody if she walked long enough, right?  
Erin dropped to her knees. One week. She had been alone one week. She'd barely found food, and had only run into a few streams. Luckily, she had a container made to hold water. She wondered if Aragorn and the others had found Merry and Pippin yet. It was so boring to be all alone. It reminded her of when she first arrived. Even then she hadn't been completely alone. She'd had Aegnor.  
  
Even now she wondered where he was. She hadn't seen him since Moria. She knew that he would be fine, though. He probably found some wild herd and was with them, having the time of his life. She looked to her right. There was the edge of some woods. She walked the twenty feet to them and sat down, leaning against a tree. Her eyes began to shut slowly.  
  
She knew that she shouldn't sleep here, but she was so tired. She shook her body, trying desperately to stay awake, but it was no use. Her eyes shut and before she could react, she fell into the world of dreams.  
  
Thumping. There was that thumping. But it was not the steady drum beat that she was used to. It was a different type of thumping, in sets of three. It sounded almost like a horse cantering. But it couldn't be. Erin's eyes opened. She turned around to the forest behind her. She was awake now and she could still hear it. Was this really a dream?  
  
She looked around her. No, it wasn't a dream. This was the place where she fell asleep. The hoof beats were drawing nearer. She looked at the woods with fear and anticipation. Whatever was coming, she would be ready for it.  
  
Jumping back, she saw a blur burst through the bushes just in front of her. It was Aegnor. The horse turned and trotted up to her. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. She did several motions with her hands, asking 'how did you find me?' The horse flared its nostrils.  
  
"Oh, you could smell me." Erin grabbed her pack and threw it over her shoulder. Now she could catch up with the guys for sure. She jumped swiftly onto Aegnor's back and urged him forward. Her broke into a gallop immediately, running over the grassland.  
  
2 hours later  
  
Erin halted Aegnor. She did not have a clue as to where they were. She looked around at the surroundings. They had not changed for hours. She continued onward, never knowing quite what she was getting herself into.  
  
They stopped again when they reached a town. It was set amongst hills. Erin shielded her eyes from the sun and squinted at the flag. On it there was a horse. 'Hmm,' she thought. 'A town like this out in the middle of nowhere.' She pushed Aegnor forward at a walk towards the town.  
  
As she entered the gates she got a chill. Every person was staring at her as she rode by. She stared back at some of them, reaching her hand up to her face to see if perhaps she had something hanging out of her nose. 'Jeez. You'd find more cheer in a graveyard!' Erin continued riding until she came to the top of the hill where guards stood, eyeing her suspiciously.  
  
Before she knew what was going on she was surrounded by them. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. What the hell was all this about?  
  
"Dismount." One of the men commanded. All she could do was agree, since she was surrounded by spears and had no way to get out. She slowly got down and held her hands up in front of her, showing that she held no weapons. One man walked up to her and pulled her long knives from her back. She scowled at him as he backed away.  
  
"You will come with us to see the king," the person, who she guessed was the leader of this little group, commanded. They led her to what she would describe as a castle and inside the doors. She looked ahead of her and saw an old man sitting on a throne.  
  
Something seemed wrong about him. It was as though he was a corpse. She continued to watch him as she was led closer. Slowly, a bent, greasy looking man stepped out from behind a pillar and began whispering in the king's ear. Erin knew right away that she was going to want to kick the crap out of that grease-ball. She waited for the king to speak.  
  
"What is your business in Rohan?" he asked slowly, as though his jaw was rusted.  
  
She looked at him, never breaking eye contact. "I was separated from my companions and am now seeking refuge here," she answered honestly.  
  
"Who are you companions?"  
  
"Legolas Greenleaf, Prince of Mirkwood, Aragorn, son of Arathorn, and Gimli, son of Gloin."  
  
The greasy man stared at her. He spoke to her now. "You expect his highness to believe that YOU, a woman, are a member of the fellowship?"  
  
Erin rolled her eyes at him. What a chauvinistic pig. "Yes I do. Although I am not an OFFICIAL member, but I do travel with them."  
  
"You lie," he said. Erin wanted to jump on him right then and beat the snot out of him. She hated it when people accused her of lying, especially when she was telling the truth. Movement caught her eye as a cloaked figure stepped out from behind one of the pillars.  
  
"She tells the truth," the feminine voice stated. "She followed them." Erin stared as the woman threw her hood back. As she looked upon the woman's face she could have sworn that a dog like growl came out of her mouth. Arwen.  
  
"What the hell are YOU doing here?" Erin spat.  
  
"I followed you."  
  
Erin blanched. "The entire way here. All the way from Rivendell?" Arwen raised her chin proudly.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"You're kinda creepy ya know.......... " Erin said. Arwen's gaze seemed to burn into her.  
  
"Be silent! How dare YOU call ME creepy!"  
  
"Well you are! I mean you stalked me all the way here. It's been months!"  
  
"What is your point you stupid woman?"  
  
"Well, my first point is that I am not stupid. You are the stupid one. What kind of a person would follow another one all the way across a country for absolutely NO reason. Don't you have a life?"  
  
Arwen was furious now, which only made Erin smile. Arwen lunged at Erin. She stepped to the side easily.  
  
"My my, Arwen, you are getting slower," Erin taunted, keeping her voice completely calm. Arwen bared her teeth and jumped at Erin again, this time knocking her to the ground. They wrestled around for a moment. Arwen reached up and slapped Erin. Erin glared down at the woman whom she was now sitting on top of.  
  
Erin remembered the last time Arwen hit her. That's right, she never did get her back for that, Legolas had interrupted........... Erin smiled evilly. She raised of her right hand and brought it down across the Elf's face hard, punching her in the jaw. Arwen's head snapped around, then slowly turned back to Erin.  
  
They began to wrestle around on the ground once more, never noticing the castle doors opening.  
  
Erin pulled the Elf woman's right arm up behind her back and used her knee to press the woman's face into the hard stone floor. She used her free hand to pull her hair. Arwen was using her free hand to beat on Erin's back, attempting to get her to let go of her hair and arm. It had no affect on her, she just remained sitting on Arwen's back, pulling her hair with her arm locked up behind her back.  
  
This was the scene that the fellowship walked in on. "Erin?" Legolas asked. Erin's head snapped around. Arwen's head, which was still pinned to the floor at the neck by Erin's knee, slowly turned her head around to face the door, her cheek now pressed down on the floor.  
  
"What are you two doing?" Gimli asked.  
  
"She attacked me first," Erin said the way a child would say, 'she started it!'  
  
Legolas gave her a stern look. "Can't I just finish-" she asked.  
  
"No." Erin dropped her head and pouted, releasing Arwen's hair and arm, slowly standing up. Arwen got to her feet quickly. Aragorn didn't seem to know what to do.  
  
Erin pouted as Legolas continued giving her a stern look. He'd been giving her that look for days now.  
  
"Whaaaaaat?" she asked.  
  
"I cannot believe that you did that."  
  
"Bite me."  
  
Legolas leaned over and bit her shoulder.  
  
"ACK!" she yelped. "I didn't mean literally!"  
  
Legolas smiled. "Well, then you should not have said it." Erin smiled back at him.  
  
It seemed that all of the people were leaving the town. They were going to some place called Helm's Deep. They were all on their way there right now. Legolas had explained the situation to her, and she thought it was stupid that they were running to that place. She continued walking, looking down at the grass. Aegnor was being ridden by two of the children, since it would be easier for them to walk than her.  
  
Erin's attention was brought back to Legolas as his head snapped up. There were two men ahead of them on horses, scouting the area. One of them was now gone. Legolas jogged ahead of her and stood on top of a hill.  
  
Erin smiled at how much he looked like a cat, perched atop the hill like that. Her smile faded slowly when he began knocking arrows and firing them.  
  
"Warg!" somebody cried. A confused looked passed across Erin's face. 'Wargs?' she thought, 'What are Wargs?' Her question was soon answered as an ugly beast made itself visible atop the hill. The women and children were told to run to Helm's deep, while them men began to mount their horses. Erin ran towards Legolas and stood next to him atop the hill, pulling her long knives out.  
  
"Go with the women," he said.  
  
"No, I can stay and help."  
  
"No, you must go." Erin gave him a stubborn look. He grabbed a free horse that was running by and lifted her up onto it quickly. She frowned down at him.  
  
"What are you doing?" she asked, nearly frantic. He didn't answer her, he only whispered something in the horse's ear. It turned and began to run after the women. Erin could have killed Legolas right then.  
  
"Does he really expect this to work?" she mumbled to herself. When she was out of sight she stood up on the horse's back and hopped off, rolling across the ground when she hit. She ducked low and ran behind a rock, making sure that Legolas didn't see her.  
  
A peculiar noise caught her ear. She turned around. Nothing. The rock was there. There was that noise again, coming from above her. She looked up and saw a warg. It jumped down at her, knocking her to the ground. She cried out as her long knives were knocked out of her hands. They skittered across the ground a few feet away from her.  
  
Movement caught her eye again as an arrow planted itself deep in the creature's neck. She couldn't see who shot it, so she knew that they could see her. The arrow was Elven. Legolas had save her and he didn't even know it. She looked up just as the warg's body fell on her, covering her body and pinning her to the ground. Oh great, how the hell was she supposed to get out of this one? It was covering her entire body, she could barely breath. Would anybody notice that she was gone? If they didn't she could die here and nobody would ever know where she was or if she was even dead. She couldn't hear anything under this heavy, smelly creature.  
  
She truly couldn't breath now. She gasped under it, feeling her consciousness fading. Then everything went black. 


	26. In the End

DO NOT SKIP ANY PART OF THIS CHAPTER!!! READ THROUGH THE ENTIRE THING AND DO NOT SKIM!!! EVERY WORD IS IMPERATIVE!!! DON'T SKIP THE AUTHOR NOTE AT THE END EITHER!!!  
  
A bright light. She could see a bright light. Dear God, it was too bright out. Something roundish and misshapen blotted out a part of the sun, shielding her eyes.  
  
"Thanks," she choked out, her voice raspy. As her eyes began to clear, she nearly screamed. It was an Orc. She jumped to her feet and away from the creature. She looked around desperately. Oh good, there was only one. She held her palms up before her, backing away slowly.  
  
"Ah, haha, um, thanks a lot buddy, I'll just be on my way now, heh." With that she turned around and took off running. She could hear its footsteps behind her. 'SHIT!'  
  
She ran around behind a rock, not seeing the hole that lay in wait. "GOD DAMNIT!!!" she cried as she fell down into the hole. This was not her day. Ah hell, day? It was not her year. She turned and looked up just as the Orc fell in after her. She rolled away from it so that it hit the ground instead of her. The creature shook itself and then stood, leering over her.  
  
She reached for her back, ready to pull out her long knives. Her hands met only air. They had been left up there. Erin swore to herself. Well THAT was just her luck. She let out a yelp as the creature dove at her. She raised her hands up to defend herself, but was taken by surprise when it went limp and fell forward on her, knocking her to the ground.  
  
It covered her body, making her nearly puke from its absolutely putrid smell. She herd murmuring above the hole. She tried to push the body off of her quickly so that she could get their attention and get out of this hole. She wiggled the body a bit, trying to get it off, the only problem was, when it came to pushing things straight with her arms only, she was a weakling.  
  
She heard the voices get sharper. Someone said "It's still moving."  
  
She felt the body jerk as what she guessed were arrows were shot into it. She tried to push it off again. More arrows hit it. One went so deep that it pierced all the was through and nearly got her in the arm. With new adrenaline, she rolled the creature off of her and looked up. There were about twenty Elves surrounding the hole, arrows pointed down at her.  
  
She held up her hands, signifying that she had no weapons. "Um, heh, hi guys."  
  
Erin rubbed the back of her neck as one of the Elves treated her wound. She turned to Haldir. "Hey, thanks for getting me out of that hole."  
  
"I still do not understand why you are out here alone, it is very dangerous you know."  
  
"Yeah I know, but it's kind of a long story."  
  
"What are you and all these Elves doing out here anyway?"  
  
"We are traveling to Helms Deep."  
  
"Really? That's where I'm going!"  
  
"No you are not," he said sternly.  
  
"What? Why not?"  
  
"It is far too dangerous for you. You may die."  
  
"You might die too, but you're still going!"  
  
"That is different."  
  
"How?"  
  
"We will be dropping you off at a nearby town as we travel." Erin crossed her arms stubbornly.  
  
"You actually expect me to stay there?"  
  
Haldir smiled devilishly at her.  
"Hey!!! You can't do this!" Erin cried out to the Elves as they walked away. She stood tied to a pole in the middle of a town.  
  
"We just did!" Haldir called back.  
  
'I'm gonna kill him!!!!' Erin thought. 'I'll kill him!!!!'  
  
Erin raised her bound hands up to her face and began to chew. This might take a while, but she would get out.  
  
Erin smiled devilishly. 'Ha! They thought they could keep me here?' She reached up to her mouth and pulled another thread out as she walked. 'That really tasted bad.'  
  
She followed the footsteps of the people that had gone to Helms Deep earlier since she couldn't see Elven foot prints. It had taken her hours, but she had gotten out of that. It was dark out and she guessed that the Elves had arrived at the wall hours ago. It was probably around midnight. She frowned, the battle had most likely already started. Erin began to jog, wanting to get there as soon as possible. She could see the wall now.  
  
Indeed, the battle had already started. She ran as quietly as she could up to the back of the Uruk Hai. None of them were paying attention to what was behind them. They were all facing forward waiting to get to the wall. Erin looked ahead and saw ladders. If she could only get to them she could get up there and help everybody.  
  
Until she could get up there she would just help them out down here. She pulled out her long knives and began cutting away, slowly moving up between them, getting closer to the front.  
  
Aragorn cut down as many Uruk Hai as he could, never stopping to catch his breath. He wondered how long this battle would last and if, indeed they would all fail. He stopped killing the Uruk Hai for a moment as something caught his eye. There was a circle on the ground below where the Uruk Hai were falling. He looked more closely.  
  
Someone was cutting them down left and right. His eyes could not see who it was from here. "Legolas!" he called.  
  
Legolas appeared next to him. "What is it?"  
  
"Who is that down there?"  
  
Legolas looked to where Aragorn pointed. His eyes widened.  
  
"It is Erin!" he cried, joy filling his voice. His face took on a serious look quickly. "She is down there in the middle of them all by herself!" Aragorn grabbed a rope that was nearby.  
  
"Erin!" he yelled as loudly as he could. He saw her look in his direction. He threw the rope over the side. Erin ran for it, latching onto it quickly.  
  
She climbed as quickly as she could up the rope. The guys both pulled her up as she climbed. She swung herself over the top ledge.  
  
"What are you doing here?!" Legolas asked her.  
  
"I figured that you guys could use some help!"  
  
Legolas hugged her tightly. Erin's eyes almost bugged out as an Uruk Hai ran up to them.  
  
"Legolas!" she yelled, pulling her hand away from him and stabbing the thing. Aragorn took care of the rest.  
  
"I'll talk to you later. Now, where the hell is Haldir?"  
  
Legolas pointed away from them. Erin stomped over to him. She used her knives to kill the Uruk Hai that got in her way. As she neared him he cried out and pointed behind her. She turned around and killed whatever was coming at her. With her back still turned to him she began to talk.  
  
"Haldir! If we weren't" slash "in the middle of a battle" cut "I would kill you" roundhouse  
  
"I was" stab "for" slash "your own good!" decapitate  
  
"Oh please!" She cut one of the Uruk Hai's heads off. Erin looked around. Why were there so many of them up here. Her eyes fell upon the ladders. Duh. She ran over to one of them and pushed it off the ledge, sending all of the creatures on it sailing to the ground. She smiled triumphantly. This was all she had to do! She wondered what else would help them. She noticed that the archers would be able to kill a lot more creatures if they were able to focus on it. One archer would be able to kill as many as two people using swords.  
  
Another idea struck her. She ran over to one of the archers and stood with her back facing his. He turned around to look at her curiously. "Just turn around and shoot them. Now you don't have to worry about any of them sneaking up behind you." The archer nodded and did as she said.  
  
It seemed that the others were catching on quite quickly and soon all of the archers had one to two people standing at their back so that they didn't have to worry about being attacked, that way they could focus completely on shooting the Uruk Hai. Erin turned as she heard Aragorn screaming at Legolas.  
  
"Shoot him!" he cried, pointing to a specific creature.  
  
Erin looked down, her eyes growing wide. It was running towards the wall with a torch. She saw the edges of spiked balls sitting in a space at the foot of the wall. She knew what this was. They had made bombs! Erin was just to the side of where the main blast would be.  
  
"Everyone get away from here!" she cried, but it was too late. She felt the explosion beneath the wall. She closed her eyes as it erupted beneath her. When she opened them again she was flying through the air. Erin saw everything, but it seemed to be in slow motion. She was flying through the air. She would die. She could not survive this impact.  
  
As the thought that she would not survive dawned on her she felt her leg get warm. She looked down, her scar was glowing. It surrounded her with the black light. She was no longer falling, but floating. Erin looked to her left as an Elf fell with her. He watched her in awe even as he plummeted to his certain death. Erin didn't want him to die.  
  
She reached her hand out to him, but she continued to float in the same place. 'Forward!' she thought, 'I need to go forward!' She felt herself moving forward. So that was it. She could will it. Her hand grasped the hand of the Elf, allowing him to float to the ground with her. As her feet touched the ground she released him. He stared at her for a moment before one of the Uruk Hai attacked, and both of their attention was brought elsewhere.  
  
They were smack dab in the middle of all of the Uruk Hai. Erin looked up and saw the men and Elves retreating.  
  
She watched as someone ran to Haldir, urging him to retreat. She watched as he was stabbed from behind. Time seemed to freeze. She screamed. "NO!" Erin slashed more furiously. All of this seemed so familiar to her. She was repeating history it seemed. She noticed that the Elf behind her was still alive. She could not transform because he was there. He would be killed too. She felt her leg throbbing.  
  
It wanted to wake up, the power did. She fought it back. 'No,' she thought, 'I can save at least one Elf!'  
Legoals watched in horror as Erin was left in the middle of the battle field, fighting for her life. "Legolas!" Aragorn called. "We must get into the keep!"  
  
Legolas began to run towards Erin, but was halted by a hand. Slowly, he was dragged into the keep. He cried out after they shut the door. "Aragorn! What have you done? Erin is still out there! She will die!"  
  
"If you had gone you would have died as well!"  
  
"Better to die out there fighting to save her than in here abandoning her like a coward!" Legolas spoke mere inches away from Aragorn's face, his eyes wide with barely contained rage. "You have killed her! You are a coward!"  
  
Aragorn felt the sting of his words, but held the door. Legolas may understand later.  
  
Erin watched sadly as the doors were slammed shut. She was alone now. She turned around just as the Elf beside her was slain. She watched him fall. She wasn't able to save him. She was two feet away and she wasn't able to save him. Erin cried out, tears of frustration springing to her eyes.  
  
Her leg throbbed, and this time she didn't try to hold it back. It glowed, sucking the light in. She floated off the ground. This time Ladhwen wasn't here to help her. She was completely alone. Slowly, like ink dropped into water, she felt understanding seep through her. She knew what she had to do. Tears still flowing, she crossed her arms in front of her chest, extending her pointer and pinky finger, pinning the rest of her fingers against the palm of her hand.  
  
The scar stopped sucking in light and she felt her eyes go black. In a swift movement she extended her arms out to her sides, making a T with her body. Fire exploded from the ground below her in straight lines, looking like deep claw marks in the ground. It began to spiral away from her, creating a tornado of fire. Instead of stopping it she focused her energy, forcing it to spiral further out.  
  
Screams of the dying invaded her ears. She didn't want to do this. She didn't want to kill. But she had to. She focused her energy, sending it out further. Then she let it stop after it had extended about two hundred yard. Everything burned. She looked at her extended arms and pulled them back into a cross in front of her chest. The fire stopped as though water had been poured over it. She floated back to the ground, her hair fell back to her shoulders. She felt to the ground, unconscious.  
  
Legolas continued to feel the hatred building inside of him. Slowly, sorrow was taking over. He would die. He knew he would. Erin was gone and he would die. He mounted his horse alongside the other men, ready to ride out. Gimli had gone to blow the horn. Everything was ready. They burst through the doors and rode out, killing Uruk Hai.  
  
They looked up as Gandalf rode down the slope, a bright light extending from his staff which blinded the Uruk Hai. The creatures began to retreat, knowing that they were unable to win. Legolas tuned everything out as Gandalf spoke to Aragorn.  
  
He looked at the fallen bodies. Erin was no where standing. So she had fallen. He felt tears come to his eyes. He looked up as he felt eyes watching him. It was Gandalf.  
  
"What is it, legolas?" he asked kindly.  
  
"She has fallen."  
  
Aragorn looked at the ground, feeling immense sorrow.  
  
"I have not fallen now could you please get off of me!" They heard a muffled voice cry. Legolas jumped off of the Uruk Hai body that he was standing on in surprise. It rolled over and Erin was revealed.  
  
Legolas felt joy like none he had ever felt before. He scooped her off the ground and embraced her as though she would disappear if he didn't hold her there. Erin hugged him back. "It's ok! I'm fine other than a few bruises."  
  
She pulled away from him. "Hold on a sec, I need to go get my knives, I dropped them."  
  
"I'll get them," Legolas offered.  
  
"No, that's fine. I will." Erin turned and walked off, searching the ground for her knives. Legolas turned back around, listening to Gandalf speak.  
  
There was a scream. Everyone turned. Legolas felt his heart stop. It was Erin. She stood, her eyes wide in shock. Her long knives were held in each of her hands. A sword was protruding from her back. Behind her stood an Uruk Hai. Erin slid back on the sword until she hit the hilt. She creature smiled and pulled she sword out. Erin remain standing, her eyes still wide. Her mouth was open, but she was didn't speak. She stumbled forward. Everything seemed to move slowly.  
  
Legolas jumped forward and cut the creature's head off.  
  
Erin stumbled forward, the pain ripping through her back. She remembered all that she had been through to get this far. From the moment that she had come to this place she had felt at home. People had cared about her, and had loved her. She would miss it. She closed her eyes and thought about it all.  
  
.....................................  
  
A flash of something caught her eye. It wasn't dark, but infact it was light. Very light, like pale hair. It was walking silently through the woods. Then she heard very light hoofbeats and saw Aegnor following quietly behind the stranger. Was he stealing her horse?  
  
.....................................  
  
She smiled, that was when she had first seen Legolas.  
  
.....................................  
  
I promise I will not hurt you. Please do not be afraid of me." He held his hand out to her. She stared at it for a moment then placed her hand in his, and stepped out from behind the tree. She let go of his hand and put both of hers behind her back. He stared at his own hand for a moment.  
  
"You're so cold. How long have you been out here?"  
  
.....................................  
  
The first time they touched.  
  
.....................................  
  
It was going to pass directly under the tree she was in, straight towards Legolas. The creature was staring at him, a look of pure hatred in its eyes.  
  
Slowly the creature unsheathed a long, ugly sword and began to walk more quietly. This angered her. This foul looking creature was going to hurt her friend. How dare he?! She would never allow any harm to come to her friends. Because of her muteness, she had been trained to defend herself quite nicely. If anything happened to her she could not scream so she had to be able to take care of herself no matter what the situation was; and she would much rather harm come to herself than others. At least others that she cared about.  
  
..................................... Time seemed to slow down as her eyes met its. They stared at one another for a moment, a look of hatred in its eyes equal to hers. Time returned to normal as Erin jumped up into the air, turned, and extended her leg out to the side. As she turned, her leg swung around and slammed into his jaw, effectively breaking its neck.  
  
Legolas ran over just as a sharp crack was heard. He had seen the whole scene from the time she jumped out of the tree on. She had just killed an orc with her bare hands  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --.........  
  
She ran down the hallway, nearly running into a few Elves, until she finally came to a small garden.  
  
She walked into the middle of it and sat down. Here she could listen to everybody talking without being a nuisance. She quieted herself down and listened, watching people's mouths to see what shapes they were making. Then she stopped. They were speaking another language, one she had never heard before.  
  
She sighed, this was going to take a lot longer than she had originally anticipated, but she could do it. She'd spent her whole life listening to other people talk, surely she would be able to figure out what they were saying eventually.  
  
......................................  
  
She still had a good hour before she was going to go exploring so she decided to stop by Legolas' room. She walked up to his door and knocked on it. There was no reply. She waited a moment and then slowly opened the door. His room looked different somehow. She stepped inside and walked around the corner.  
  
Then she turned a deep shade of crimson. Well, she found an Elf. A naked one. One who definitely was NOT Legolas. That's why the room looked different; it wasn't his. She bowed an apology and ran out of the Elf's room.  
  
.......................................  
  
"I leave in two days."  
  
Erin looked down. She would miss talking to him. What would she do for months without him? Legolas turned and looked down at her.  
  
"Lle merna an teli ah amin?" You want to come with me?  
  
Erin looked up at him. "Can I?"  
  
"Lle mothron. Car lle iest an?" You may. Do you wish to?  
  
Erin smiled. "Yes!" she nearly yelled with enthusiasm  
  
....................................................  
  
Erin ran through the trees, enjoying the smell of the forest. It was nearly a full moon now, so it was very bright out. She ran up to a tree and leaned up against the trunk, out of breath. She sat down and listened to the sounds of nocturnal birds and other such things, then she caught the sound of something else.  
  
It was close. She froze. The sound stopped. It had sounded like footsteps coming towards her. She waited for a moment; still there was nothing. The animals had all stopped as well, as though they sensed something.  
  
Before she knew what was happening something grabbed her and ripped her from her spot on the ground, throwing her into a tree. She struck the tree hard, knocking the wind out of her. She tried to focus on what was in front of her as she caught her breath.  
  
......................................  
  
They formed a circle around her, looking her up and down, then they all came at her at once. Thinking quickly, she ducked down and dove between two of them, rolling all the way up into a standing position. She turned and before they could react she had one in a head-lock, swiftly breaking its neck.  
  
The other two turned and lunged at her. She jumped back and pulled her right hand down to her side, then shoving it upward, used the heel of her hand to break its nose. Erin turned just in time as the other one brought the handle of its sword down upon her. She was barely able to turn enough to make it hit her back instead of her head.  
  
She fell to the ground, slightly dazed. The orc took this opportunity to thrust the blade of its sword down at her. She rolled over and jumped up to her feet. The bushes to her left were moving. She managed to land a punch just as three more orcs came through the bushes, and the one with the broken nose got its bearings.  
  
....................................................  
  
Acting quickly, she jumped down behind it and slit its throat, then jumped to the next closest one, stabbing it in the neck. She tried to pull the knife back out but it was too late, the other orcs had spotted her. Two of them ran at her at the same time, swinging their swords at her wildly.  
  
She dodged one swing, then another, and another. They sent two slashes her way at the same time; she could only dodge one. She moved out of the way of the one head towards her neck and took the one in her leg. Her face twisted in pain as it cut deeply down the side of her left leg. There was only one problem, pain pissed her off.  
  
.......................................  
  
She couldn't speak. That was when she knew that she may not make it through this. Gathering the last of her strength, she grabbed the thing's hand, tore the sword from it, and before it could react she stabbed it straight through the heart. It released her hair and wobbled on its feet for a moment. Then before the other could move, she sliced through the side of the dead orc's body and used the momentum to swing it around, decapitating the last orc. Both of the bodies fell to the ground at the same time.  
  
That had used the last of her strength. She stumbled around a bit, raising her hand up to her mouth as she coughed up some blood. She looked down at her hand as her vision blurred. She was bleeding badly. Her hand was covered in blood from her coughing. She wasn't going to make it back to the elves, and nobody knew where she was. Then everything went black.  
  
.......................................  
  
"Wake up! Do you understand me? Wake up! If you do not then you will die!"  
  
Erin focused more on his face and tried to clear the have in her mind. As she became more alert she tried to sit up. She could hardly move. Legolas gently put some pressure on her shoulders.  
  
"Do not try to sit up. You are badly wounded, I will carry you."  
  
It was barely light out as the morning came. Legolas lifted her as gently as he could into his arms.  
  
"AAAH!" Erin choked out in pain. She could speak now. She was unable to make a sound when she truly needed it. Even the lightest touch felt like a hammer, and her stomach was unbearable. She noticed, for the first time, that her dress was badly torn. She was no longer bleeding, but there was dried blood caked all over her leg.  
  
....................................................  
  
"Can she?" he said with an amused tone. "Still, I'm guessing that she was staying alive for something, but for what I do not know. Perhaps you may be able to find out at some point. Did you see her leg?"  
  
"No. Why?"  
  
"It has a strange mark on it," Esgalan mused. Legolas frowned a bit. "But never mind that, I must leave now, I have matters to attend to. You take care of that maiden Legolas. There is something special about that one. She is indeed a fighter, but she is more fragile than she seems. Just remember that. I will be on my way now," and with that Esgalan left, leaving Legolas to ponder what he had meant.  
  
.....................................................  
  
Erin looked through the rows of shelves, reading all of the titles of the books. "Brilraugiel, the life of Thintine's daughter," Erin muttered out loud. She continued reading through the titles of the different books until she came to one that caught her eye. She stopped and pulled it off the shelf.  
  
"The tale of the Eleven. That sounds interesting." She opened the booked to the first page. Then the second, and the third. It was blank. She flipped all the way to the back of the book and looked down at the small scribing on the bottom of the page.  
  
"Not yet written. Not yet written? Well that sucks! I wanted to read this one!" Erin pouted and put the book back in the shelf. She began to look through the books again. She finally came to the last shelf, not having found anything of interest when she stopped again.  
  
"The story of Ladhwen. Hmm." She pulled the book from the shelf and opened it. She began to read the first page, which consisted of a bunch of formalities. She flipped a few pages in and began to read.  
  
"..not much is know of Ladhwen. She was in Mirkwood to visit a friend. She arrived with one traveling companion. The two quickly befriended the prince. Her companion left, then shortly after, Ladhwen died. There was a rumor that Ladhwen had a romantic relationship with the prince, but nothing was ever proven, since the prince would not reveal anything."  
  
........................................  
  
Esgalan walked down the hallway and nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard a loud screeching noise, one that sounded as though it came from a dying orc.  
  
"WHHHHHAAAAAATTTT?????!!!!! YOU CAN'T LEAVE WITHOUT ME YOU STUPID JERK!!!!"  
  
Esgalan ran towards the noise, hoping that nobody was being killed. He ran into Erin's room and froze. She stood there, nearly naked, face bright red, ranting and raving, while trying to wrestle a dress on.  
  
"Lady Erin are you okay? I heard a loud noise and was afraid that you were being attacked by a band of orcs."  
  
She turned towards him eyes blazing. "No Esgalan! I am not being attacked! The stupid jerk left me here! He went to Rivendell without me!"  
  
.......................................  
  
"Could I borrow one of your long knives please?"  
  
"Yes, you may." Legolas reached back and pulled out one of the knives, tossing it to her.  
  
Erin looked on in horror as he exceedingly sharp object came flying towards her, handle first. She reached her hand out to grab it and closed her eyes, almost positive that somehow the thing would plant itself in her hand. She sighed with relief when she felt her fingers tighten around the handle. She smiled and thrust the hand holding the knife up in the air triumphantly.  
  
Her face twisted into a shocked expression when she felt the knife slipping out of her hand and flying up into the air. She looked up and saw the thing spinning around, end over end, in the air; it was coming down far to her left. She leaned over to the left and stretched her hand out as far as she could, reaching for the bladed device.  
  
"ACK!"  
  
She fell, grabbed the knife while in the air, and landed in an undignified heap on the ground.  
  
......................................  
  
Esgalan walked up beside Erin and ate some of his own food.  
  
"You have your own food with you?" Erin asked.  
  
"Yes I brought it with me."  
  
"But I thought that you hadn't intended to travel with us." She gave him a suspicious look. "Interesting that you would bring food with you if you only expected to go back so soon."  
  
"Yes, quite interesting."  
  
....................................................  
  
"SHIT!" she screamed as she realized that the creature was now a mere two feet behind them, almost able to reach out and grab her or Esgalan.  
  
She kicked Aegnor in the sides, and once again he picked up the pace. She looked in front of them. Legolas, Glofindel, and Avarion were about thirty feet in front of them. Slowly, Aegnor seemed to pull farther away from the creature, until they were about eight feet in front of it. The creature let out that horrible screech that she had heard earlier. She clapped her hands over her ears, squeezing her eyes shut in pain. Esgalan did the same.  
  
.......................................  
  
"Oh so you get the front do you?"  
  
"Of course I do, I'm a lady."  
  
"A lady are you? You certainly don't act like one."  
  
"What is that supposed to mean?"  
  
"Exactly what I said."  
  
"I am incredibly lady-like."  
  
"I am sure."  
  
"You wanna fight scrawny Elf-man?"  
  
"You call that acting like a lady?"  
  
They all began to head off, Erin and Esgalan continuing their mock argument.  
  
"Well at least I know how to fight."  
  
"Are you suggesting that I don't?"  
  
"That is exactly what I am suggesting."  
  
"Oh. I was just checking." ........................................  
  
"I did not believe you."  
  
"Yeah sure ya didn't, that's why you're blushing so badly?"  
  
"I am not blushing."  
  
"Yeah, uh huh."  
  
"You did not fool me."  
  
"Okay." Erin gave him an I-don't-believe-you-but-I'm-going-to-give-you-this- look-to-make-you-feel-stupid look.  
  
"Yeah well I still say you act like a man."  
  
"I do not!"  
  
"I am a perfect lady, a delicate flower, a-"  
  
Erin was cut short as she was smacked in the head by a low branch.  
  
"What were you going to say?" Esgalan asked, looking quite amused.  
  
"Shut up Esgalan."  
  
........................................  
Erin looked up to his eyes. They stared at each other for a moment, Legolas' head slowly drew closer to hers. She looked at his lips, then back up to his eyes, which were now focusing on hers. He slowly moved closer to her. She could feel his warm breath on her lips. She breathed deeply, shuddering a bit, anticipating the kiss.  
  
CRACK!  
  
Both of their heads snapped towards the bushes.  
  
"Who is there?" Legolas called.  
  
Slowly they saw three figures begin to rise from the bushes. There stood Glorfindel, Avarion, and Esgalan, sheepish looks on their faces.  
........................................................  
  
"How dare you speak to me in that manner."  
  
"I will speak to you in any manner I please, I made an attempt to be nice to you, even though I could tell that you were prissy from a mile away, you were the one who insulted me first. I would have been perfectly happy to be nice to you." Erin didn't flinch at Arwen's burning gaze. "And if you are trying to intimidate me with that glare there is something I must alert you to, I am not easily intimidated, especially by little prissy women who think that they're better than everybody else, and put other people down to make themselves feel better!" Erin was now yelling. "So you can just bite me!"  
  
Erin was raised up on her tip toes, to bring herself to Arwen's eye level, both of their eyes blazing. This seemed to be a fairly even match. Arwen raised her hand up and slapped Erin. Her head whipped around from the impact. Erin slowly turned her head back to Arwen, her eyes almost changing color with her anger. She raised her hand up to punch Arwen, but was stopped by Legolas running up to them.  
  
..........................................  
  
"Esgalan, buddy, you may want to speed up your descent!"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because I think that is the eagle whose eggs we just stole!"  
  
Esgalan looked over in the sky, then his eyes widened. He sped up quite a bit. The eagle was close now. It would be upon them in a few moments and Esgalan still had at least twenty more feet to climb down. Then the eagle was there.  
  
It swooped across Esgalan, causing him to lose his balance and fall into some bushes.  
  
........................................  
  
"Tell them to open them faster!"  
  
"The gates don't open any faster!"  
  
They stopped in front of the gated.  
  
"Hurry!" she cried frantically. She looked behind them. Where was the eagle. Maybe they had lost it. She heard a screech and looked up, only to see a giant terd flying directly towards her head. It landed with a satisfying plop. Esgalan looked at her and laughed.  
  
...........................................  
  
"Erin?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Why are they that yellow, brown color?"  
  
"While they were fermenting the shells got thin, and the dirt tainted it, not to mention you can see the slight color of the yolks inside. Be very careful, the shells are REALLY thin and believe me, you do NOT want to get that stuff on you. If you do the smell won't come out for about a week."  
  
He nodded cautiously, a look of fear on his face, and stood up.  
  
.........................................  
  
"Yup. Lift me up onto your shoulders."  
  
"What? You never said anything about that!"  
  
"SHHH! I know but I didn't know that her window was way up there. Come on, I'm not that heavy!"  
  
"Fine!"  
  
He laced his fingers together and lowered his hands, creating a step up for Erin. She placed her foot in it and carefully stood up, putting one foot on each of his shoulders at a time. Esgalan reached up and held her feet to his shoulders.  
  
"Move forward a bit," she said. He began to move forward slowly, causing both of them to wobble from their unstable state.  
  
Erin reached into the bag and pulled out one of the eggs that she had dug up just fifteen minutes earlier. She pulled out one of the eggs and launched it at Arwen's window. The thrust of her throw jerked her back a bit, causing her aim to be a little off, the egg splattered against the window sill. It was just enough to cause them to lose their balance completely, sending her and Esgalan toppling to the ground. They landed in the bushes with a loud thud.  
  
..........................................  
  
"Ready?" she asked. He nodded. They both raised their arms simultaneously, drawing them back, preparing to throw the eggs. Esgalan threw his first. Things seemed to move in slow motion as the egg flew in a perfect line toward the opening of her window. Just as it was a foot away they saw a figure move to the window. The egg connected solidly with Arwen's face.  
  
The two pranksters got a horrified look on their face as Arwen stood there and slowly wiped the eggs from her eyes. Erin decided that one more egg couldn't hurt, so she drew back her arm, as Arwen opened her eyes, and threw the egg. It hit the bottom of the window, splattering up all over her.  
  
Arwen screamed in rage and tried to wipe the stuff off of her. Esgalan turned to Erin. They stared at each other for a moment, then turned and bolted away from the crime scene.  
  
...........................................  
  
"What the hell is that smell?" Erin asked, sniffing the air a bit more before choking on the fumes, whatever was making the smell was getting closer. Then Arwen stormed into the room, a VERY pissed look on her face. She stormed straight up to Erin and pointed a finger at her.  
  
"I know that YOU did this!!"  
  
.........................................................  
  
"It was you!" she heard a screech come from her left. She turned quickly and looked at Arwen.  
  
"I recognize that throw. That is exactly what it looked like last night!"  
  
Erin scratched the back of her head nervously. Arwen got a furious look in her eyes, then kicked her horse, driving him forward towards Erin.  
  
"Aegnor!" Erin screamed. He ran up to her and she jumped up onto his back, turning him and telling him to run away from Arwen. She drove her horse forward at a full gallop in pursuit of Erin.  
  
"Run Y'all!" she screamed with a thick, very fake, southern accent. "She's gone and lost her mind!"  
  
.......................................................  
  
"We're lost!"  
  
"We are not lost!"  
  
"Yes we are! I know I've seen this place before!"  
  
"Of course you saw this place before. You came through here with Legolas a couple of months ago." Esgalan gave her a 'duh' look and began to move Aegnor forward again.  
  
"Oh."  
  
........................................  
  
"Come back here!!!!"  
  
Esgalan watched as Erin ran off into the forest after a squirrel.  
  
"What an odd girl," he mumbled to himself as he continued to eat.  
Erin grumbled to herself as she pulled the many branches and twigs out of her hair and clothes. "Stupid squirrel..just had to run through those thorns....then the bushes.....then the stream.....damn him..."  
  
Erin reached up and rung some water out of her hair.  
  
"You know, it probably was not the best idea to run after that squirrel through the thorns."  
  
"Thank you Esgalan, I realized that now..." she said bitterly.  
  
...........................................  
  
"PIPPIN?!" she half screamed.  
  
"ERIN?!" he half screamed back. Erin looked over to another being that was standing right next to Pippin. She prayed that it wasn't Legolas. She looked at the other figure.  
  
"MERRY?!"  
  
"ERIN?!" he said back, mirroring Pippin's look.  
  
"What are you doing here?" they both asked in near unison.  
  
"Um, nothing..I was just....yeah..."  
  
............................................................................ ............................................................................ .................  
  
As quietly as she could she walked up to the frying pan and pulled some sausage out, trying not to cry out or drop it as the things burned her. She put them in a cloth that she used to hold her other food and grabbed some biscuits, also putting them on the cloth and rolling it up.  
  
She heard a sharp intake in breath and looked up sharply. There was the dwarf, staring at her. She froze, holding her breath. She stared at him, food still in the cloth which was gripped tightly in her hands. She picked up her right foot and stepped back slowly, leaning some of her weight onto that foot so that she could pick up the other, never breaking eye contact with him. She continued to slowly back away, until the dwarf began to turn to the others, then she turned and dove into the bushes, rolling down the hill a ways before standing and quickly began making her way back to Esgalan.  
  
..........................................  
  
Erin tried to clear her head as something in her path brought her frenzied descent to an immediate halt. Her head was spinning and her eyes couldn't focus. Slowly her senses came back to her and she looked up. Her eyes ran up along the blade of a sword, continuing up until it reached a face. At the other end of the offending sword stood Aragorn, looking at her with a very serious expression.  
  
She stood slowly, holding up her hands to indicate that she held no weapon. She clenched her teeth as she stood, reaching her hands down to rub her sore butt. It appeared that Aragorn recognized her from somewhere but couldn't place her. "Who are you? What business have you in Moria?" he asked sternly. Erin looked at him sheepishly.  
  
"Oh, nothing much. I just decided to go for a walk, ya know, restless and all." Erin smiled brightly, hoping that he would not realize her lie. He looked at her seriously. Erin flinched unconsciously as someone called her name.  
  
..........................................  
  
"Merry, it seems that our dear friend Erin got lucky last night!" Pippin said to Merry, none to quietly.  
  
"It would seem to be that way, wouldn't it Pip?" The two Hobbits looked at each other, obviously proud of their performance. Erin leapt up from the ground and began to chase them around, a blush apparent on her face.  
  
"Oh I am SO going to kill you guys!"  
  
.....................................................  
  
She stared at the eye, never blinking. Suddenly it snapped open, searching her soul. It was so close to her she could hardly bear it. It burned into her. The eye closed again, glowing blue and drawing back. Erin felt a little more relaxed now that its intense gaze was no longer focused on her. The eye moved closer again, making her nervous. Its glow changed, turning red. Her body felt strange. She could feel herself enveloped in the red glow.  
  
It snapped open again, startling her. This time, when it opened it felt as though her entire body was ripping open, splitting in two. Her leg, the one with the scar, burned. She opened her mouth to scream, throwing her head back in pain, but no noise came out. Then the glow was gone, as well as her pain.  
  
.........................................  
  
"That is the scar."  
  
"What scar?" Erin asked, more fear finding its way into her voice.  
  
"The scar of my beloved that died many years ago." He looked up at her. His gazed seemed crushed, questioning, sad, and confused all at once. A look that she could not seem to answer no matter how hard she tried.  
  
....................................................  
  
"You do not seem to realize who you are. Why do you think that this world, which is so different from the one you came from, seems so familiar. Why do you think that you remember things that you have never experienced. It is because you are me."  
  
Erin screamed in pain as another bout of pain grasped her. "Who are you. Tell me your name."  
  
Erin could feel the presence smiling through her. "My name is Ladhwen." Erin's eyes widened more, as did everyone's in the fellowship. "I told you, I am you, you are me."  
  
.....................................  
  
Legolas froze when he saw Ladhwen. She walked towards him, stopping just in front of him. "Legolas," she said softly. "I am so sorry for all that I have put you through. I love you, I always did. I am sorry for my last words to you. I wish that I could have seen you one last time before I died, but now I can say goodbye now." Ladhwen leaned forward and kissed Legolas softly, pouring all of her love into that kiss. Legolas felt tears rising up in his eyes.  
  
Ladhwen pulled back, her body seeming to fade. "Legolas, love Erin with all your heart. Do not be afraid. She is me, and I, her. I will not leave you again. She loves you. Do not be afraid."  
  
Ladhwen faded, leaving only Erin standing there before Legolas, not sure what to do. She suddenly felt so small and insignificant before Legolas. He had loved Ladhwen so much. She was nothing.  
  
........................................  
  
"Shhhh. It's alright Erin."  
  
"No it's not!" she cried out, her face pressed against his chest, soaking his shirt with her tears. "He will never be able to look at me again! He will never want to talk to me again!"  
  
Esgalan rubbed her back. "That is not true, you know that. Deep down, you know that."  
  
"Is that so? Then why are you here instead of him?"  
  
......................................  
  
Esgalan smiled at Erin's door. 'Well,' he thought. 'Erin's going to be happy in the morning!'  
  
He walked off with a wicked smile on his face, anticipating all the teasing that he was going to give her and the blush that she would undoubtedly carry all day.  
  
.....................................  
  
"Oh Legolas, yes YES!!!" he called, clasping his hands together in front of him while rolling his eyes up towards the ceiling.  
  
Erin's face turned a deep crimson. She reached out, grabbed the nearest object, which happened to be a metal cup, and hurled it at the Elf. It collided with his face before he could dodge it, hitting him with a loud smack, then slowly slid down his face until it fell to the ground with a clatter. He shuffled out of the room, the smile now gone from his red face.  
.....................................  
  
"She will come for you."  
  
"Who will?"  
  
"Because you and I are the same, we have the same soul."  
  
"Who will?!"  
  
Erin felt a wind flowing towards her. The blackness began to swirl away like a thick smoke caught in a wind. Slowly, a path began to clear. Erin watched as a figure began to emerge from it. It was what Erin could only guess was Ladhwen. She was beautiful. Her arms hung next to her sides, pals facing outwards towards Erin. Ladhwen's hair swirled about her in the wind.  
  
It was then that Erin noticed that Ladhwen's eyes were closed. No sooner had she thought it when they snapped open. Erin's hair came unbound and began to swirl as well, never coming before her eyes, only swirling behind her head. The wind began to blow fiercely. Her eyes were a solid white. Erin watched in awe.  
  
.......................................  
  
The whispers got louder.  
  
"Don't scream......................... don't scream.............................. don't scream........................... don't scream................................. don't scream.................................. don't scream..................................." they whispered over and over again. One speaking from her right then fading, then one from her left, then behind her, each voice fading into the darkness. Erin felt a scream building up in her throat.  
  
"Don't scream.......................... don't scream......................... don't scream..........................." the child-like voices whispered. Erin felt that she couldn't hold back a scream any longer. She looked into Ladhwen's eyes. Then Ladhwen's mouth moved.  
  
"Don't scream," she said smoothly.  
  
Erin shot up in bed, shaking.  
  
..........................................  
  
Merry turned to Pippin.  
  
"How many did you eat?" Merry asked.  
  
"................................ Four," Pippin said. They both turned to Erin. There was a long pause.  
  
"Um................................ six.........................."  
  
.........................................  
  
"If their loved one dies, first they grieve, but if they truly loved that person then they begin to die. We call this process Morn Methed, the black end. First, they lose their mind. They cannot even realize what is going on around them. They recognize not even the faces of their friends or kin. They are kept in a room where they cannot get free, because they would kill any who got in their way. Once they get past a certain point they can never be brought back. Did you know that?"  
  
Erin could barely speak. "No.... I didn't."  
  
"So, you see, if you die, this will happen to Legolas."  
  
"Why didn't he die when Ladhwen died?"  
  
"No one can say. That has been a mystery among many of us, until now."  
  
"Until now?"  
  
"Yes, YOU kept him alive, or rather, Ladhwen. Somehow she knew that she would be reincarnated, so somehow, even after death, she was able to keep him alive. I fear what will become of Legolas when you diminish. But that will not be for several hundred years, will it not?" Galadriel asked, a knowing twinkle that bordered on a smile in her eyes.  
  
...........................................  
  
Gimli felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He looked up slowly. Erin was scowling at him. Aragorn shook his head, wondering about this girl. She sat with her arms crossed in front of her chest, her legs crossed one over the other, leaning out to the side to looked past him at the boats behind him.  
  
Gimli watched as Erin mouthed the word 'revenge.' An image popped into his head. It was of Erin's friend. The one who had green hair. He turned back to Erin, his eyes wide.  
  
She now held a bottle in her hands that she stroked with love, never taking her eyes off of him. He looked at the bottle, it was full of a green liquid. He could feel the sweat accumulating on his forehead. He turned to Legolas, who was in the same boat as him.  
  
"Would she really?"  
  
Legolas looked at the expression on Erin's face, making a decision immediately by her expression. He turned back to Gimli.  
  
"I believe that she would."  
  
...........................................  
  
Erin could feel herself being lifted off the ground. Her eyes went solid black. The creatures watched closely, unsure of what to do. Was that fear behind their eyes? Erin's hair came unbound and flew up around her head, being blown almost straight up by the fierce wind. Her scar began to glow a brighter black as more light was sucked in. It continued to glow brighter until the black stopped. Her hands raised up to her chest, her arms crossed. Only her pointer and pinky fingers were extended, the rest were folded against her hand. She looked down at the creatures.  
  
Her hands flew out to her side, point and pinky finger still extended, then a bright light ripped across the ground in straight lines away from her in a circle. She was surrounded by a wall of fire as it swirled around her. She could hear the thing's screams as they were burned.  
  
She floated up out of the column of fire, looking down at them with solid black eyes.  
  
.......................................  
  
"I'm still going to get you back for that whole boat thing!"  
  
He turned his head and looked at her, smiling. "I am looking forward to it!" he called back.  
  
........................................  
  
Erin remembered her last words to Esgalan.  
  
........................................  
  
"I'll see ya when I come back Esgalan! You had better be waiting for me!"  
  
.........................................  
  
But she would never come back. Erin felt her knees buckle. She fell to the ground. Legolas ran to her, catching her just before she hit the ground. He looked down at her pale face. She smiled up at him, her eyes watering. Then her body went limp. He looked to her scar, waiting for it to disappear so that he may have hope. He waited for it to be carried off in the wind, but it remained.  
  
Legolas began to cry fiercely. "No! You cannot leave me again! Not again! Please! I promise I will never leave you side, just come back to me!" He held her tightly against him, pressing his cheek up against hers. Tears rolled down his cheeks. "Please Erin, do not leave me. DON'T LEAVE ME!!!!!!" he screamed, feeling himself become hollow.  
  
And so Erin was no more.  
  
Oh where oh where can my baby be The Lord took her away from me She's gone to heaven so I got to be good So I can see my baby when I leave this world I'll never forget the sound that night The painful scream that I heard last I held her close I kissed her our last kiss I found the love that I knew i have missed Well now she's gone even though I hold her tight I lost my love my life that night  
  
Last kiss Remix  
The scream. She had screamed. It was the end. The scream had awoken something. Something that should have never been awoken again. It was a plague that would disease the world. The Awakening has come, the Judge will appear.  
A/N: Ok, before you all kill me. Yes, I know I killed Erin. There is a sequel though. Yes, read it and the tale of Eleven will be revealed, as long as more about Ladhwen and Luvair. What will become of Legolas now that Erin has died? Remember what happens to Elves when their loved one dies? Well, the beginning of the sequel should be out within a week. It will be called "In the End 2: The Price of Friendship." Or something like that. So PLEASE don't kill me! 


	27. Last Chapter Author Note

A/N: SO SORRY!!!! I know that a lot of you want to kill me right now, but did you notice that Erin was getting sort of Mary Suish? Well, Mary Sues don't usually die, so I thought that I would change her fate of being a Mary Sue (shudders) and um...... well....... Kill her. Not only that, but I had planned it the whole time....... sorry...... Don't worry though, there's a sequel!!!! It will be coming out very soon, I already have the prologue written, and part of the first chapter, so have no fear!!! I will be posting it within a week or two. 


	28. Last Note!

A/N: I swear that this is the last author note!!! Just wanted to let you guys know that the sequel is up! 


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